Beyond the Shadows
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Nagato gave Naruto the power for peace before his defeat. Will it be enough as war looms, as Tsunade chooses a sucessor? The Summit of Five Kages is set to begin, and she couldn't have asked for a better replacement. Romance, fluff, NarutoxHinataxHanabi
1. The First Step Toward Greatness

**A/N: First, a moment of silence. For all those in japan that have lost their lives to the tsunami and earthquake that has devastated the northeastern coast, and all those left to carry on in their stead and searh for survivors. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this terrible cataclysm. I know that words alone cannot express their grief, their pain, their loss, or all the families that are suffering there now, but may they find peace in the afterlife, for those of you who believe, and those that don't.**

**All those who have suffered...our hearts our thoughts and our prayers go out to you.**

**...**

_**Well, I suppose I should start writing, then**_

_**I have no idea why I wrote this ficlet. Considering the fact that I am DEPRESSED after the horrific tragedy that has begallen Japan. So I just had the naruxhina bug i guess and it would not let me be! No matter how hard i tried to ignore it, it kept bugging me and it even interfered with my sleep! Soooo, I finally decided to post this one-shot (I hope) up here in hopes of getting that damned monkey of my back so I can finally think straight! If ya'll read the summary then you know this isn't exactly my most original idea, but I just had to take a stab at it. Which brings me to another topic that needs to be adressed...**_

_**I'm afraid I also have a said bit of news for you all. Due to health issues on my part, My Purpose is hereby being adopted by KingKakashi. Do not fear! I am keeping the original, and he will continue where we (fellow and wonderful co-author that he is) have left off, and I may update the original version, which will be left on the site and with a new ending, even. Kingkakashi, its been great working with ya, my man! Hopefully we can do this again sometime when I'm not getting all these damnable surgies done on me...so there you all have it, my official word of permission to him, and do not worry, the adopted My Purpose will not be a carbon copy of the original because, well, KK is one helluva writer, and much better than me. **_

_**Moving on!**_

_**Also, after seeing the Kage Summit in the Anime I got the idea. Also, a warning! First chapter is BLOODY. Ye have been warned.**_

_**This is DIRECTLY after Pain/Nagato's defeat, DIRECTLY as Naruto comes home and everyone welcomes him back. HOWEVER, I was not at all satisfied by watching the episode, and welll, I wont spoil anything else for you guys and gals, so read the fic, curl up with a pillow, snack, or whatever it is you have on you when you read, and enjoy this fluffy, funny, fucking AWESOME ficlet that is guaranteed to bring each of you a much needed smile in these difficult times! Also, as a side note, I have changed some things. Naruto was gone for the full extend of his training trip, not just two and half years, he was gone for three. THREE! Second, and a minor change, regarding Hiashi and Hanabi not being present in Konoha, and ALSO i thing she is only three years or so younger than her sister by this point, but it was never confirmed since we don't see her in shippuden? Hope ya'll like, cuz listening to naruto ost while writing this...REALLY GOT ME UP AND GOING IN MY WRITINGS!**_

_**So Reviews=creativity=chapters!**_

_**Please REVIEW and let me know what you think! Reviews improve my writing process!**_

_**(Pearl)**_

_Left._

Uzumaki Naruto was going to get himself killed.

_Right._

But not today.

_Left._

Drained of all but the last vestiges of his chakra, Naruto willed himself to put his right foot forward again, followed by the left. Right. Left. Right, followed by left. At this slow crawl of a pace, he dragged his weary body onward through the forest. His eyes were starting to regain their sight again, but that also meant they stung and burned beneath the harsh afternoon light. Occasionally visible through the leaves of the canopy, these shafts of light that made his eyes water and weep like nothing else, save for the paper bouquet gifted to him by Konan, yet another of Ero-senin's students.

_Right._

Bright and pure, it lay between his shoulders, tethered in place of the scroll.

_Left._

"Naruto-san, do your eyes still ache?" He slowed his pace even further, pausing against the nearest tree he could fine, gripping upon the bark to steady himself. He reserved an unamused frown for his right shoulder, glaring balefully at the its lone occupant; the slug who had just spoken. White and blue, and about the size of his hand, it haf alighted there, tethered to the cloth of his cloak. Baa-chan's summoned slug, Katsuya, he recalled, kicking his hazy brain into gear, sparing the miniature slug the brusqueness he felt.

_Right._

"They're...better than before." He amended, tossing out a few colorful expletives before he could give them voice. His eyes really _were _better. When he'd finally been allowed to unwrap the bandages, the light had been so bright that they'd started bleeding from the strain. He'd been subsequently knocked out as a result. Know, ruined eyes restored, Naruto unwound yet another strip of gauze from his head and lamented Nagato's deadly accuracy.

_Left._

"You are still in pain, then?" The summoned-slug pressed, for not the first time, and Naruto ruthlessly suppressed the biting retort when it came to mind. Cripes! She was worse than Shizune! Despite a long list of accomplishments, Naruto was momentarily irked. Despite heaps upon _heaps _of ruthless training; traveling for three years with Ero-Senin, creating his own _S-Class_ jutsu, mastering Sage chakra to name a few, Uzumaki Naruto was still prone to the occasional outburst. _Especially _when a talking slug kept asking him if his eyes hurt! No. No, it wasn't Katsuya's fault, really. Naruto was just irritable because everyone in Konoha was almost wiped off the face of the planet by an almighty shinobi with the incredible delusion that he was a god.

_Right._

Having been forced to accept a "gift" from said god after he revived all your friends and brought them back to life, now that was just plain o'l embarrassing. Painful, too. But Naruto had known Nagato had been contrite in his repentance, just as he himself had known pain much, _much _greater thanthis irritating twinge of the eys. Pain was one thing. This incessant jabbering was another. Kami have mercy on his soul! Katsuya's nagging rubbed Naruto the wrong way like nothing else could! He was eighteen, for crying out loud! He was too old to be nagged by a talking slug who, yes, by the way, knew he was in pain and a pain he could handle because he wasn't thinking about this, _damnit!_

_Left._

Naruto had learned a great deal from his fellow pupils. He understood a great many things. He saw the world now, through eyes unclouded. No longer would he be impeded by that wretched fog of doubt and despair, no longer, did it hound his every waking moment as it had since Sasuke's defection. Naruto saw the world and the world was bright. He renewed his pace, pulling the last of those wrappings from his face and eyes, leaving their color to melt back into sapphire.

_Right._

Naruto exhaled heavily. This was worse than sage mode. It felt as though every cell in his body was burning when he used this new ability. _Sennin Mode _only lasted for a short while, but Sennin Mode at least, was painless. These, oh, _these _fucking things sucked the chakra right out of him! Even now, as sapphire irises and white sclera reasserted themselves, he still felt just a twinge of discomfort, a niggling shadow of irritation that he couldn't quite pin down. If that was what it cost to use such powers, even now, after all he'd done, then Naruto would endure. This was nothing. Compared to the aching sensation in his chest, this minimal persisting pain was nothing..._but it was still annoying!_

_Left._

How on earth did Nagato handle this? How long had it taken him to push past the pain? Was that even possible? Naruto could feel it coming again. Building into a suffering symphony of souls behind these bloodshot eyes he'd been forced to call his own. It was agony. He grit his teeth in preparation, and a faint green glow pushed into his shoulder, pushing the pain away like a broom would dust and dirt. Naruto blinked, and the pain receded in the wake of something else, something warm. Drowned by healing chakra, and in the wake of more chakra, more healing, gradually, the agony began to lessen. By the time he'd thought to offer his thanks to Katsuya, it had completely abated.

_Right._

Now he could move. Now, when he wanted nothing more than to run yet was forced to wallk, Uzumaki Naruto could make it, even if it killed him. _He could finally go home._ Because there was something terribly, _terribly _important he had to do once he made it back to Konoha. There was something vital he had to say. He knew what should be said, he knew what he wanted-no _needed _to explain to her but the finer points of his plan, and of the battle, still eluded his grasp. He reached for them again, and, like the blurring battle he'd fought, slipped through his fingers when he tried to focus upon the image.

_Right._

The hard fought battle with Pein, also known as Nagato, _also _a pupil of Jiraiya, was just a big fucking blur. Well, Naruto remembered the outcome, and that had been the important part. Naruto took a glance back at how he'd convinced his opponent of his answer, of everything else in between. He had triumphed, despite losing the light of the world from his eyes. He had triumphed, as Nagato said there was one final gift to give to the one who would be intrusted with peace...right before something very heavy crashed into Naruto's skull and laid him out cold.

_Left._

He'd awoken and found victory, fallen into his lap. He'd awoken, to the words of bittersweet victory. To the sound of tears. To the touch of supple fingertipss _-soft-_ hands, far too gentle; because only an angel should have such delicate hands and only an angel could look upon him without hate as Naruto opened the eyes he hadn't had before. As Naruto opened his eyes and saw the end. Saw, as Nagato smiled down upon him, his hair ashen, his face gray and growing grayer, his lips moving in the last semblance of speech. Saw, as Nagato imparted some final words of wisdom, the last these two of the Uzumaki Clan would be able to be say to one another; made brothers in their synomous struggle for peace as one passed into that final darkness and left the other, granted new light.

_Right._

Naruto wanted to smother that light too, when he heard the last words of Nagato:

_Left._

_"Uzumaki Naruto...with those eyes...I leave...peace...to you."_

_Right._

And then Nagato was no more and Naruto was left with the bitterness of victory. Konan had held him for some time while he cried, but that too, was hazy, faded, indistinct compared to the finality of this overwhelming victory. Victory, the revival of Konoha, and left with another promise from Konan...Well, he clearly remembered _that _stuff. Because all of that was _after _he went apeshit. After he had battered the Six Paths of Pain into nothingness, after he'd gone in search of the real Pain, and before he'd found them and lost his sight. That was pivotal moment when he'd cast off his path, only to be placed upon a new one, _and _placed on the dusty forest floor for an incredibly _long _trek back to the village.

_Left._

Naruto's current condition, you ask? Disregarding the mental, physical and spiritual exhaustion? The bloodied bandages hanging from his eyes? Oh, he was just peachy keen, thank-you-very-much!

_Right._

...most there."

_Left._

"Whuzzat?" Naruto blinked, remembering the miniature version of Katsuya still perched upon his right shoulder.

_Right._

"We're nearly there." The small slug repeated fretfully between his slow and repetitive footfalls. "Are you certain you can walk the rest of the way, Naruto-san?" He never answered. Instead, his foot caught upon an upturned root and Naruto toppled forward into the dust with enough force to break his face. Well, that would have happened, if a sudden burst of invisble pressure hadn't slowed his fall at the very last instant.

_Left._

"Whoa!" Sandals scuffed against a patch of upturned earth, breaking away from the rhythmic thud as they carried Naruto across the dusty ground. With a small gasp, he pinwheeled flailing both arms wildly as he tried, failed to arrest his sudden surge of momentum. In the end, he lurched three steps to the east and crashed to the ground with all the force of a sucker-punch from Baa-chan. Naruto, he laid there, a battered and beaten body of bones as his face was made intimate with the ground in a way that no one ever wanted.

_"You will become the bridge to peace."_

Idly, Naruto remembered Konan's words to him. He tasted salty tears in his mouth, fists scrabbling feebly at the dirt. Muscles screamed. Bones ached. His body protested in every way possible, and a ordinary shinobi would have surrendered to them. An ordinary shinobi would have given up, and laid there to meed his fate at the hands of the reaper. An ordinary shinobi with these kind of wounds, would have convinced themselves that it was alright to die, to give up, after fighting such a glorious battle.

_"But you musn't die, Uzumaki Naruto."_

Naruto wasn't ordinary. And because he wasn't ordinary, he pushed his heels into the gravel, wincing as the stones cut into his palms. Naruto'd didn't go back on his word. Naruto had a new promise to keep, a much more important promise than the one he'd made to Sakura-chan, and that, was what caused him to scrape his chin off the ground. Naruto never gave up, and that iron determination sent a trickling of crimson into his body, his eyes flying wide as the tendrils sought his wounds, sealed them.

_"No matter what happens you cannot die."_

There was no way, there was no-fucking-way that he'd let it all end here. He was going to be Hokage, hadn't those been his words? Yes, those were his words! Naruto _never _went back on his words, because that was his nindo! His ninja way! His creed! He never went back on his word, he never gave up, just like her! Just like...Hinata. Her name sent a surge of warmth surging through his limbs and though it was not an unplesant one, Naruto stiil swore, a foul expletitive flying from his lips. He wanted to live. He had to, needed to...live!

"Get...up."

Naruto growled, and dragged his chest off the ground. At his back, the bouquet flapped away into a thousand pieces of paper, sticking to his back. Holding him up. Naruto felt hands upon him, pulling twisting, drawing him upright. He almost thought it was Konan, but no, no, she was headed to Amegakure to lay Nagato and Yahiko to rest. She wouldn't be returning for quite some time, if she even decided to keep her promise and assist him in the coming months.

"GET THE FUCK UP!"

Naruto bolted to his knees and pushed himself to his feet. The chakra attacked his wounds with a renewed ferocity, even restoring his outfit. Swaying as he came to a stop, the blond uttered a black and condemnatory oath before straightening. Briefly, his gaze swept over himself, searching for the chakra as it receided, leaving wounds he knew he no longer existed. Hands clenched and slapped at his cheeks in an effort to resuscitate his own, faltering stamina. Naruto edged half a step forward, testing his balance, favoring his right leg slightly, then he put the other foot down and schlepped forward and continued onward.

_Right_.

Miracously, his attire had withstood the carnage of his intense battle. His cherished black and orange jumpsuit had lost its zipper though and the jacket hung open beneath the brilliant red cloak, sheltering his arms in a full sheath of warm cotton. Naruto was grateful for its warmth, if not for the virtually nonexistent burden upon his back. Billowing out from the shoulders, it fell behind him against the breeze, silently urging him onward as the high collar tickled at his cheek.

_Left._

"I'm...alright."

_Right_.

Steadying himself, he nodded in assurance to _himself _as opposed to Katsuya's questioning, and began to traipse onward.

_Left._

It was all one big jumbled collection of fuzzy pictures and distorted sounds. There was a reason, for all of this, _he knew it, _but after that, things became...hazy. He knew that there had been a battle, though he'd arrived at the end of the invasion. Lots and lots of bodies, all of which, had inexplicably vanished into thin air now that he looked into the smiling faces of the entire village. Everyone was battered, but he was genuinely startled to see that Nagato had been true to his word, and everyone was indeed among the living, such was what his senses revealed from this incredible distance

_Right._

When Pain drove that chakra needle into her throat Naruto had all but surrendered.

_Left._

Kyuubi wasn't having any of it.

_Right._

The nine tailed beast had quickly seized control, forcing his body to stand and remove the chakra needles. Naruto had been content to let the fox have its way with his corpse but when the fox tried to turn toward Hinata, when it began to assimilate him and drag his memories away, _that _was when he rebelled. Perhaps _rebel _wasn't an ideal word for Naruto. Then again, there _was _a great deal of shouting and swearing while he'd grappled with the fox for control.

_Left._

Somewhere out in the afterlife, if there was such a thing, Ero-Sennin would be proud.

_Right._

Naruto couldn't really remember how he'd wrested control back from the demon. But the Yondaime _- it felt wierd to call him dad just yet- _had done just that. When he'd come to, he'd had to backtrack nearly twenty kilometers to find his way home, and as such, he was staggering onward on exhausted but un-broken legs. His own wounds had been miraculously sealed; he didn't know at the time, but he'd later found out that his the damned fox could perform regeneration. Not nearly as fast as what he'd seen in the past, but quick enough to keep his body intact.

_Left._

The journey to Konoha was also a blur, at least to Naruto. He might have been superficially healed, but the fatigue of battle and travel left his mind in a daze. He couldn't even recall how he knew the way, how to even get to the village of the leaves, the place that had shunned him for so many years–his memory simply _placed _him there. After a few hours under the harsh rays of the afternoon sun, he and the newly resealed demon had taken to the trees. They hadn't known where they were going, only that they needed to put as much distance between themselves and Nagato's death as possible.

_Right._

The only reason they were coming back at all, was because _she'd _looked miserable and lonely.

_Left._

It hadn't been until he'd been about to leave with Ero-sennin that Naruto had even begun to understand her. She was so lonely, he realized this now. Suddenly, it became imperative that he return at once, not matter the cost. Even as he decided this, as this thought came to him, Naruto recalled a conversation he'd had with his father. He slowed, paused, stopped. Naruto pulled himself upright and out of the pained crouch he'd maintained for the length of his ruined stride.

"Naruto-san?"

Katsuyu offered a confused inquiry as he was plucked from his thoughts, as he refused to listen.

"Shush!" He hushed her. "I need to concentrate."

Straightening, Naruto pulled his legs, then himself, into a stiff standing position. Naruto spread his hands apart and placed them together; rotating his wrists and pulling his fingers into a seal that half of him knew and the other half didn't. Creating the Boar seal, Naruto felt his skin shudder and his pupils dialate. Cold chakra burned the world white, forcing him to weather the initial explosion of pain and protestation his muscles presented to him, because he didn't need that pain just yet.

_"Jinton," _Naruto scrunched his eyes shut and gave name to the technique passed down amongst the Namikaze. _"Mueishō." _Naruto felt his chakra begin to roil in protest, and his eyes burst open as he uttered the word necessary to begin the jutsu.

_**"Kai!"** (Release)_

Steeling himself for what might or might not come, Naruto shoved the chakra into his arms and legs. He wasn't even certain this would work, but incredibly his legs thudded against the ground. Slowly, with a subtle suddenness that crept up on him and pounced; he realized he was no longer walking. Naruto was _jogging_, his long stride carrying him across the barren ground. As he began to accelerate noticeably, he began to move with greater and greater speed. Naruto advanced, each step lighter than the last, an inexorable pace; because now he was no longer jogging. Naruto felt sapphire crack and shatter into a luminescent shade of golds and blues as he progressed into a run; building up steam gathering strength and energy as his arms scissored outward, the features, no, the landscape itself, everything but for a thin tunnel of vision before him, was blurring.

Naruto bolted forward with a wild laugh, the landscape blurred out of recognition. Had anyone been present to witness this impossible feat, they would have seen a steak of red and orange and black bulleting across the land at a blistering pace, kicking up a wide swathe dust in his wake. For Katsuyu, it was all she could do to cling to his shoulder and not be sent spinning out into empty space. The amusement was more than evident upon his face, and, had Katsuya possessed human form, her disbelief and terror would have been seen quite clearly.

"Oh, hell yes!" Hesitation fell to the wayside and exhileration took its place as Naruto accelerated even further, pushing his body to exude a

"Oh dear!" Katsyuya yelped aloud. "Naruto-san, you're going much too fast!"

"That's the idea!" Naruto couldn't contain himself, or his laughter. "At this speed, we'll be home before sundown!"

out into a frantic run as the first landmark came into sight. He held his suspicions that the battle was not known to be over and he might be attacked by the defenders, but his pace did not slacken into a traditional jog because Naruto, quite frankly, couldn't stop.

"Shit!" He swore, cursing his carelessness. "I forgot to ask him how to stop!"

Naruto finally ended the incessant pattern of left-to-right as he emerged from the forest. What was left of it, after utilizing the swift release. Havign crossed many miles in the span of a few seconds, the strain was bound to catch up to him the moment he came to a stumbling stop.

Everything vanished as he stepped out of the trees. His thoughts, his breath, his despair, all the lingering threads of doubt that had plagued his thoughts, they were gone. They frayed themselves into nothingness and then they were gone as the first of many voices reached him. He had just enough time to glance upward, his eyes shooting wide with surprise.

Naruto paused, recognizing the gates that loomed before him. He straightened, folded his arms, and bellowed as loud as he possibly could.

"YO!"

Even as the archers shouted for him to identify himself, he leapt up and cleared the gate with a shout of confirmation. The battered guards gazed up at him in awe, furthering the suspicions that more than closure awaited him amongst the ruins. He opted not to go into detail and reminded himself that he was a shinobi. Konoha was his home, no matter what kind of welcome he might receive. That welcome seemed to be a warm one, as Naruto slammed into the ground, spreading hairline fractures across the pavement. and that was still aligned with his home and not an enemy. This sudden pain of cold dread in his chest did little to lessen that experience.

He had to see her.

He didn't want to go into detail, but those three words had been burned into his brain and he just had to know. Maybe she _wouldn't _go into detail on the subject and Naruto really wasn't one to press anyone about stuff like this, but some small part of him would not let it be. If she felt that way, fine. If she was lying, well that would suck, but anything was better than not knowing. That was the pain in the ass about this whole subject, even though he trusted her judgment.

Still...

All he saw was a blur of pink.

"Idiot!" Sakura shouted at him. "You almost got yourself killed!"

"Chikushō!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, realizing who the speaker was she moved to stand beside him. "I-I swear I didn't do anything!" He ducked the first blow, an uppercut with enough force to shatter a mountain, and then two arms flung around his neck. Naruto recoiled, explosively, tensed with disbelief. "Look, I don't have time for this, sorry!" Sakura had all of an instant to blink. Naruto squirmed for a moment longer before he folded his arms flat stepped back, and wriggled out of Sakura's arms with an incredible blur of speed exceeding even that of The Yellow Flash. He left a scarlet streak of crimson in his wake as he flowed around her, not a trace of biiju chakra to be seen as he moved faster than human legs could carry.

"Sorry!" He shouted, throwing a glance over her shoulder. "But I've got to find them, Sakura!"

Naruto was gone, out of her arms and moving forward. Sakura followed for half a pace before she caught herself. Who was Naruto looking for? She watched him as he blurred into the crowd, rippling and shifting amongst the villagers, never static, constantly moving, searching, unable to find. Despair etched itself into those eyes that were the color of teardrops as he waded through the crowd, as congratulations heaped themselves upon his shoulders, as he failed to find what he sought, who he sought.

Maybe she couldn't be found.

_'No..._

What if she'd died, already? What if both of them...

Naruto felt his heart seize in a moment of despair so great that it almost broke him; because he heard something, saw someone. An unmistakably dark flash of blue amongst all the drab colors of this world, unique, wonderful, hopelessly beautiful, eyes impossibly wide as he uttered that soft and amazing name:

_"Oi! Hinata!" _Naruto waved and hollered as he pushed through the crowd._"Hinata!"_

Sakura gawped, eyes wide and confused.

_"What?"_

Everyone stared as a silent Naruto flowed around the last obstacle in his path, patted Konohamaru on the head, and continued on his way. Kakashi Hatake saw the determined expression etched into the face of his student as he barreled toward the final obstacle in his path. Incredibly, this obstacle emerged from the crowd_to bar his path._Hiashi Hyuuga. Naruto paused, slowed, and inevitably being made to slacken his pace as the Hyuuga clan head removed both hands from his sleeves and leveled one forward, and the other southward, assuming a traditional stance.

"Not another step, Uzumaki Naruto." Hiashi's intense glare bored into the unassuming Uzmaki. "You...I cannot believe that you would dare show your face here after what you've done!" Naruto flicked a finger, the shuriken appearing on all five of his fingers, deftly snatched from the air. He cast each of the throwing stars to the ground, one eye reappearing over his shoulder as he turned, leveled the black and unholy gaze of blue and crimson upon the father of Hanabi and Hinata, and cast his word down with the kunai.

"I'm really irritated right now." Naruto mumbled, the thrown knife appearing within two fingers as he caught it, too. "Let's do this another time." He pushed past Hiashi and for a moment, Hatake hoped that the man would recognize the futility of his efforts and leave Naruto be.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Hiashi didn't turn as he spoke. "Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto paused.

"I'd like you to die, actually." Naruto said, sparing an unamused glance over his shoulder. "But Nagato left it to me to create peace, so I'll abstain from crushing your skull."

The silence was deafening.

"Do not walk away when I am speaking." Hiashi's face was white granite, as though he'd been told the Hyuuga were a bunch of tea-sipping masochists."I will not stand for your continued corruption of my daughters." Naruto _clenched _a hand into a fist as the Clan Head continued. "Look!" Hiashi flung a hand outward. "Look, and see what you have done! You have brought destruction upon the village, just as said you would, just as you've brought irreconcilable shame upon my clan!" Naruto rounded, opened his mouth as though he planned to sepak, the words of protest already forming there on his lips.

"I'm trying to be my usual self." Naruto retorted flatly, his hand closing on Hiashi's wrist before he could drive his attak through. "But go ahead, strike me if you must. You'll see how much I've changed from the old Naruto when it comes to matters of peace and combat." Contemptuously, he flung Hiashi's hand aside and left him to seethe mutely. "Allow me to make this perfectly clear. Should you attack me, should you strike me down, you'll embark on a path from which you'll never return, Hyuuga Hiashi."

Naruto shook his head and walked away.

"Now see here you misbegotten little-**!"**

He received only a morose chuckle.

"You have my pity."

Kakashi should have seen it coming. He should have seen, but he was too tired to see, too tired to look, and he cursed his carelessness as Hiash Hyuuga stiffened. The intense expression flashed into fury, and fury into the boundless malice that comes from having one's pride and morals utterly violated.

_Damn but the Hyuuga was fast._

Kakashi was fast, but he didn't quite make it in time. Naruto stumbled back half a step, grunting in surprise as an open palm of _Jyuuken _crashed into his solar plexus. Red arterial spatter sprayed out of the wound's opened flesh as the burst of chakra liquefied the muscles beneath. Sakura screamed a warning, but it was already too late. Hiashi turned, removing his hand from Naruto's chest with what appeared to be satisfaction, because he extricated his hand from the blonde's chest and watched him fall facefirst into the dirt.

Naruto spat in Hiashi's face before he fell. The glob of saliva struck the elder across the face and stuck there. Hiashi contemptously kicked the dying Uzumaki in his already opened chest, though the life had already left his eyes. That strange and blackened fury faded from his eyes as he straightened, adjusted his robes, and turned toward the petrified populace. Konoha had just witnessed the death of her hero; murdered right before their eyes, and his killer showed no remorse.

"There, the Kyuubi is dead." he said, a small smile adjourning his features. "No need to thank me."

"Thank you?" A disbelieving hiss, Sakura's, answered. "Why the hell would we thank you...?"

_"What?"_

Hiashi turned toward dozens of disbelieving villagers and horrified visages, as though he'd expected them to heap praises upon him for killing the demon brat. He received the welcome of a different sort. Booing, hissing and other words not meant for virgin ears rained down upon him, his blood flecked face greeted by a chorus of shouts and condemnations. Each louder than the last, and none of them at all complacent or friendly.

They did not share his smile.

"For removing that." Hiashi didn't evel look at Naruto. "Obviously."

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Sakura's shout of disbelief and wordless fury devoured whatever Hiashi might have said. He spun, indignant but fingers closed around Hiashi's wrist. Hauled backward, Hyuuga Hiashi abruptly found a kunai wedged into the very arm that had dealt Naruto's death. It wasn't Sakura. Instead, Hyuuga Hiashi found himself staring into the widened Mangekyo Sharingan of one Hatake Kakashi, the latter being the one who had seized his wrist.

"That wasn't very wise of you." His voice was flat, stony, unusual. "Hyuuga Hiashi."

"The world will thank me for what I've done." Hiashi's expression did not falter. "As will you, Kakashi of the Sharingan."

"Sorry, but I'll have to decline."

A kunai tipped to his neck and Hiashi was frozen. He knew the man was serious, even without judging the angle of the ascent, the trembling of the hand holding it. The jonin actually thought he could kill him. Him, the man who'd rid this world of the demon that had brought it and Konoha nothing but ruin! If his beliefs had been pierced before, then they were punctured now, with the tear of blood that rolled down his neck in tiny rivulets.

_"Demon loving bastard!" _Hiashi spat at the jonin holding his wrist._ "Unhand me this-_

His shoulder erupted into a shower of blood in the same time thatHiashi began to spin. Rather, Hiashi tried to spin. This was confounded by Hatake's hold upon his wrist, and was made considerably more difficult with the lead pipe embedded now in his shoulder. Kakashi hadn't been the culprit, he realized, his gaze swimming wildly. Who then? Who had denied him from gracefully twirling about and banishing them all with a Kaiten? Who was it then, as Hiashi wobbled with a weird and wandering pirouette, while the wielder of that weapon twisted their hastily procured weapon downward and ended his defense in a humiliating flurry of bloody robes and swearing Hyuuga?

Kakashi flung himself away, narrowly avoiding the haphazard strike that skimmed his elbow. Hiashi didn't bother to pusue. He would meet his end with all the demon-loving fools. But for now, it was the attacker who claimed his attention, not the creature he had killed. He didn't know who it was, but he swore that they would die for such blatant defiance. Oh, and they would have, if not for this blasted piece of steel in his shoulder!

"Unforgivable." The unseen assailant ended this silly little spin of his, shoving the pipe deeper, twisting it into the wound. Hiashi snarled, but the attacker was careful to keep behind him out of reach of those deadly arms. Whomever they were, they hadn't the strength to hold on. Kakashi watched, numbed, as Hiashi pivoted enough to slap at his attacker. The blow was wild, and packed with enough chakra to launch an ox into the next prefecture, and it had the unfortunate happenstance of striking his assailant.

With a pained cry, someone flew across the small clearing the crowd had created, leaving Hyuuga Neji to catch the attacker-turned victim. Hiashi glared wrathfully at the bloodied piece of pipe lodged in his right shoulder, but before he could think of what to do with, Kakashi seized it in hand. Hiashi doubled as a jolt of Raiton arced through the metal and electrified his heart. Not enough to kill, but had the intention been to kill, the Hyuuga would have already been dead.

Kakashi ripped the pipe from Hiashi's shoulder, his heel finding the man's spine as the pipe was removed. Violently wrenched free from Hiashi's ruined shoulder. He stumbled forward, clutching hands at the wound, mouth working wordlessly as he struggled to abate the flow of blood within his robes.

Kakashi turned as well, blinking as he finally beheld the culprit. Their mouth was set in a defiant scowl and their hands were bloodied from where they had held the pipe. Vindictive little thing that she was, she wiped a line of blood from her jaw, and glared at the Hyuuga. Like Hiashi, he gawped, aghast. For one so young to have inflicted such a wound was...frightening. Perhaps even more so for Hiashi Hyuuga. Mouth agape and working witlessly, he beheld the blood flecked face of his youngest child, her hair plastered across her now pale and sweaty face as she struggled for breath.

"No." Hiashi said. "No, no this cannot be."

They were staring at a young kunoichi in Neji's arms, no more than fifteen or sixteen years of age. She wore the traditional Hyuuga robes, customized in ways that Kakashi didn't bother to take note of because now was not the time for such a thing. Neji bellowed for Ino, and the blond pushed her way through the crowd, hands of green chakra layering themselves upon her chest. The crowd seemed to realize the severity of what'd just happened, for one of them procured the first thing they could find within reach, and hurled a board of wood came hurtling toward Hiashi.

The Clan Head batted it aside without thought, his attention riveted upon his attacker. An Eight Trigrams Empty Palm hurled Sakura from her feet before she could procure anothe object and further irk him any more than she already had. But his gaze never left the Hyuuga who had dared to strike, who had even thought, even assumed, that she could escape his wrath after such an oulandish display of blatant aggression. These were the things he thought, but his mouth was having difficulty in conveying them, lest the disbelief harass him further.

"No...

Hanabi Hyuuga glared at her father, clutching her chest and inhaling weakly as she struggled for breath.

"Father," She coughed up a bloody gob as Hiashi's visage blanked. "How dare you...!"

"Hanabi...?" Dismay filled his face, and Kakashi watched as Hiashi's soul was stripped naked and all the darts in the world sank into his heart. Heartbroken, the man could not comprehend how his child had done such a thing to him. As her father, it stung all the more. She'd just tried to kill him. she'd just betrayed her clan, _her own father. _She'd betrayed him. With that thought, Kakashi watched Hiashi Hyuuga's sorrow fade and fall into furious disgust as his staring turned to leering his youngest, veins throbbing, a muscle clenched in his jaw.

_"How dare I?" _Rage contorted his visage into a hideous and unrecognizable mask._ "How dare you!_How dare you betray your clan, Hanabi! How dare you fling your pride aside and act like your pathetic excuse of a sister and do this! _THIS!" _Hiashi lividly flung a glance to his arm, but when he met the gaze of his daughters, Hinata didn't flinch away from him. Although she was still woefully injured and recovering from her near-death experience, her eyes had gone from being filled with dismay at Naruto's death,_ to this ,_a withering gaze that bespoke of disbelief and righteous fury, and she'd moved to block his path from Hanabi, as though she thought he would actually lay a hand upon his daughter.

Hiashi wouldn't even look at Hinata, such was the baleful glare leveled upon him by his child.

"How dare we?" Hinata began with outrage. "Father, how dare you-**!"**

She would have risen herself, had not Neji flung a hand outward, barring her path. Hinata paused, pain flaring across her visage. Satisfaction filled Hiashi Hyuuga's face, but all attention remained upon Hyuuga Neji, riveted as they were by the sudden motion. Hyuuga Neji, eyes downcast, made no move to meet her eyes, welling with unshed tears. He gave no hint, no clue, not even a precursor to his rage, save for the the long look he laid upon Naruto.

"Neji-ni-san." Hinata turned aside, hurt. "You thought of Naruto-kun that way, too?"

_"Nonsense."_

Neji didn't even give a hint to his own rage, but a muscle jumped along his jawline.

**"!"**

Hyuuga Neji stiffened.

Kakashi watched the veins of the Byakugan expose themselves while Neji's gaze slid to the inert corpse. Naruto twitched. _Twitched _as Hyuuga Neji rounded on Hiashi, giving no rhyme nor reason to the exceptionally sharp about-face he'd given. Kakashi's gaze cut across toward Neji in the same instant that Hiashi noticed the kunai streaking toward his face. Even wounded as he was, it was ridiculous and almost too easy for a shinobi of his calibre to evade.

Of course, that had been the intention.

Satisfaction released Hanabi at some point, because it had been left to Ino to heal her,and Neji was no longer standing in the place she'd last seen him. In that same instant Hiashi howled in disbelif and agony and Neji, well, Neji-nii removed his finger from father's eye and blinded him.

Kakashi Hatake saw it all in a more..objective view.

Hyuuga Neji surged forward, those pearly orbs wide and furious as he left his cousins' side. Sakura keened, a sound of such woe that it broke the hearts of the villagers. All those dismayed faces came to bear upon Hiashi Hyuuga, the latter forming a seal, wrapped in a swirl of killer intent. Neji never slowed. He must've been holding back during missions, or wearing weights. Because Kakasahi didn't even _see _the blur as the Branch Member plunged two fingers directly into the right eye of his uncle.

Gouging out the eye and leaving it blind.

Then he dropped to the ground, the threat of attack nullified. Veins throbbed upon his head as he lay, spasming against the excruciating pain, but Neji was smiling. Kakashi had been eerily precise with his recounting of the chaos thus far, and he'd seen a reason behind everyone's actions, including, Hiashi's twisted logic. But Neji's grim smile baffled him. For some reason, the Branch Member wouldn't stop smiling as he touched at his head, silently enduring all the agony created by the Caged Bird Seal painted upon his forehead.

Hiashi wasn't able to wipe that smile away, no matter how many times he made the seal with his good arm.

"Enough!" He hissed. "All of you are the traitors here, not I! The demon brat deserves to die!"

Kakashi beheld all the pain and dismay etched into the those face and was detached. Numbed, he witnessed Sai's wordless expression of disbelief become one of sheer fury; hand closing around the pommel of the tanto kept at his back. This effortless motion spurred dozens of similair reactions from those who shinobi who were armed. White-knuckled, Kakashi found himself armed as well. Kunai, fisted within either hand and raised in a ready position, his eye locked upon the furious Hyuuga Hiashi.

And he dropped them.

"About that, Hiash-san." His tone was eerily pleasant, amused, almost. "You might want to take another look." Hiashi spun about in the same instant as everyone else, and beheld the upturned visage of Uzumaki Naruto. Strange, he'd lain on his stomach earlier, when had he been moved? Despite the numbers arrayed against him and his foolish decision, Hiashi felt nothing. Nothing that is, except the mindless terror that anyone would fear when the dead shinobi blinked and spat into the dirt. Blinked, as he pulled himself to his feet and shook his head to clear the dirt from his hair and the fog from his head, rubbing at his jaw, snapping it shut with a loud _pop _before speaking.

"Damn, you almost killed me that time." The voice of dead man drawled. "Almost, but not quite, _bastard."_

All eyes locked upon the inert corpse of Uzumaki Naruto, sprawled out in the dirt. Not anymore. Naruto was leaning heavily one one knee, the last traces of reddened crimson fading from his body. This was not possible, Kakashi blinked dumbly as the last droplet of blood smashed into the dirt and dissolved.

Naruto had been dead.

_'How could..._

Now, he was alive again.

"NO!" Hiashi shrieked. "You...You _cannot _be alive! Not without some sort of...!"

Naruto coughed, a wheeze leaving his throat as he slumped off his hands and knees. Laconic, Kakashi observed it all with a strange out-of-body experience. Naruto, now lacking the dull-eyed look of a man lonce since dead, took in everything and and lurched upright, in blatant defiance of life and death. He glanced at his lifeblood spattered across the ground, noticed the looks of awe and disbelief. He put an end to all of those, and stood.

"Without?" Naruto smiled myseriously. "Without a kekkai genkai?"

Naruto lurched upright again, a nonplussed smile flecking across the features of his face. One final tendril of Kyuubi's chakra slithered out of his chest and disappeared into the wound. He wasn't even bleeding anymore. Kakashi wasn't the only one who noticed it; because everyone watched as Naruto laid the full might of his imposing stare upon Hiashi Hyuuga. Naruto's eyes flashed furiously turned violet and rimmed for all of an instant.

"W-What are you?"

Everyone flinched away as the shadows unfurled, revealing Naruto to the world. At first glance, one might not notice any significant change, but for the fact that he had closed his eyes against the rain, and the sunlight. Why, one could only wonder, would anyone close their eyes when so many enemies were right in front of them? In lieu of a reply to that silent inquiry, Naruto abruptly chose to open his eyes and greet the gasp with a terrifying gaze.

"Impossible."

Hiashi could scarce believe his eyes.

Sapphire blue had given way to a dull silver grey and ripple-like pattern around the pupils, with a light purple iris and sclera. Twin orbs of murderous grey swiveled upon the congregation, holding both friend and foe in their power. Unnatural and terrifying in their magnificence, these unholy eyes ellicted a myria of reactions. Kakashi and the rest of Konoha gawped. Hiashi looked as though he would tear those eyes from Naruto's face, as the blond swiveled his eyes and saw them. Entrancing to the naked eye, he found herself staring helplessly ahead as those eyes lazily drifted across the street.

"Recognize these?" Naruto tittered softly. "These are the eyes of a god."

_"Rinnegan."_Kakashi gawped. "Naruto, when...

"Don't look so surprised, sensei!" Naruto smiled. "You're not the only one with a new eye you know!" Had Hiashi been planning an attack, he should've done so while he had the chance. Naruto placed an arm between them, fingers splayed wide and furious. Those rippling wave of pressure, the same ability Pain displayed, spread outward from Naruto's position. But this one was focused, narrowed, honed to a fine and devastating point.

**"Shinra Tensei."**

Naruto flicked a palm outward and Hiashi met the wall of a ruined building. When Kakashi turned toward Naruto the Rinnegan narrowed and five seconds later, Hiashi met the pavement for yet another bought of untinended intimacy. Naruto held him there with that invisible pressure for a moment longer, and released him. He placed his hand into a seal, unrepentant as Hiashi flopped himself upright, declaring that a demon spawn such as Uzumaki Naruto had no business with _either _of his daughters.

Incredibly, Naruto frowned and put his forefigners together, and crossed his hands.

_'That seal! That's Hiruko's..._

"So I need a bloodline, is that it?" Naruto scowled, his face contracting, his eyes small and angry. "I need a kekkai genkai, just to be respected by the likes of you?" Naruto scowled and Hiashi unlocked his hands from the seak. Freed from his pain, Neji bolted upright, glaring white daggers at his uncle whilst Uzumaki continued. "Gods, dad was right about you, you really _are _a bastard." Naruto decided he wanted to surprise everyone else again, because he made two seals; the likes of which Kakashi recognized with an eerie familarity. "Well then, you take a good long look at this _kekkai genkai _Hiashi Hyuuga, and then you tell me what you think of this...

Kakashi blinked as Naruto's sage mode went a step further than before. Naruto blurred out of existence in a technique that the infamous Kakashi of the Sharingan had witnessed many a time before, a literal revival of sensei's own bloodline. It was the foundation behind Hiraishin, the jutsu with which the Yondaime had massacred Iwagakure during the last war. Basked in an aura of chakra so intense that it shrieked ten times louder than the Rasenshuriken, Naruto phased into existence with less than a foot to spare from Hiashi Hyuuga's Jyuuken and the now retreating crowd.

...is what my dad showed me." Naruto finished as the entrie congregation seemed to realize with amazement the scene playing out before them. "The Swift Release, bloodline of the Namikaze, and _my second _bloodline. This is what allowed me to dodge your strike at the last second; rendering your blow nonfatal. I was only laid out like that because I needed the time to heal." Naruto peeled open his blood encrusted jacket, revealing an already healing bruise several inches near where his heart was, and miles from where Hiashi Hyuuga had meant to strike.

_"However," _He scowled and abruptly, Naruto was a god again. "Had I known you were so intent on fueling this cycle of hatred, sadistic prick, I would have crushed you where you stood." He flexed his fingers and pulled a host of debris from the dirt, as though he intended to fling them from Hiashi. Instead, he extracted a rusty nail from a rotten floorboard. He bent it foward and _flicked._Hiashi had an eyeblink and then a bloody divit appeared within his cheek as the nail whisked past and opened a small crater in the emptied landscape.

Hiashi was nothing short of furious.

"You damned demon brat."

Naruto inhaled sharply.

_"What did you just call me?"_

Hiashi blurred forward, too slow, as Naruto made five more seals.

**_"Fuuton: Kaze no Yoroi." (Wind Armor) _**He intoned. "I'll give you a taste of my dad's ninjutsu."

Naruto flowed around the blow before it came, seizing Hiashi's wrist in a way no genin should. Naruto pivoted, wrenching the man's arm downward within a sickening _pop _of a sound. The second strike neared his shroud of chakra and found itself batted harmlessly aside. Hiashi, too his credit, did not cry out. He remained silent as Naruto raised a knee into his solar plexus, but he did gape wordlessly as the wind ruthlessly drove itself from his lungs with all the force of a Chou Odama Rasengan.

Kakashi gawped, as did Shikamaru, and every other member of the rookie nine whp'd gone on _that _mission.

_'This is the technique that Hiruko used..._

"Swift Release." Naruto repeated puprosefully. "Take this, bastard!"

Hiashi flew.

Literally.

Naruto slammed forward, and shoved a fist full of chakra _-white chakra-_Kakashi noted, into Hiashi's face. For a moment the elder endured the forces tearing at his frame, and withstood the blow. Then his feet left the earth. Naruto was already two steps ahead, and the Hyuuga's spine met an unyielding elbow as he buzzed into existence directly behind the tumbling Hyuuga. Another static _thud _from behind the blur, and Naruto crackled out with a terrifying precision, his hand closing around the Hyuuga's face and holding him fast.

"I'm will not kill you." He glared upward with eyes not of crimson or sapphire but of mingled rimmed violet _and _golden honeysuckle. "However," Naruto placed his free hand into a seal. His fist flared and sparked brightly within the shroud of wind chakra. Naruto issued an order to his chakra as its master giving a command as simple as they came.

"Kai." Naruto announced calmly, opening his hand in the same instant he shoved the chakra into Hiashi's sternum. He was sent tumbling head over heels into the crowd, those many individuals having been parted to allow room for the Hyuuga patriarch to crash face first into the earth and become one with it. His jaw skidded across the soil as he slid to a grinding halt. Naruto lowered his hand which spat and hissed and burned with chakra, leaving the limb beneath entirely unharmed as he slammed down before the dumbfounded Hiashi and placed two finger to his chest.

Naruto pushed.

_"Swift Release."_Naruto muttered. "Shadowless Descent." He flicked a finger, and Hiashi crumpled. Doubling as though he'd been physically struck. Naruto stormed past him and left the man to clutch at his chest and gasp for breath. Naruto snapped back into view yards away, his armor shredding itself into nothingness as he touched down on the balls of his feet, snapped outward in a blur of orange and reds and blacks as he landed on his left leg, then his right.

It could not be said that thee was applause, but neither was their disapproval. The crowd parted for him, draping appreciation and honorifics upon him as he swept past them. Determined to find her, desperate to find her. His gaze remained affixed to a lone individual with wide eyes and dark hair. Naruto saw her and he was riveted. Strength surged through his body and he willed himself not to run, the occasional thank-you, the young adolescent of eighteen nodded as he stepped around or past his friends, but it was all too clear. He wasn't going to be deterred from his objective, certainly not a psychotic Hiashi Hyuuga.

"Let me through," He felt his old personality reassert itself now that the danger had passed, but he gently brushed everyone aside as he pushed toward them. "Let me through!"

Even with his brief resurgence in stamina, every step felt like an eternity. Every breath shoved a dagger through his chest and jarred his heart painfully against his ribs, threatening to burst out of him at any given moment. Still, he moved on, his normal exuberance abolished, his mouth pressed into a hard, thin line as Katsuya murmured the happenings into his ear from his shoulder. Everyone was alive and well, despite being dead; so Nagato had been telling the truth, then.

"Naruto-kun?"

She could see him, and his throat became try as she saw him from the distance._Oh, crap. _The realization washed over him like a cold splash of water._'Hinata was knocked out when I went Kyuubi. Which means...she doesn't know.'_The pressure in his throat downright bone crushing, Naruto walked toward her. He felt the incredible vice tighten as he neared. When Naruto finally arrived at his destination, as he cleared the scarce distance between them her, he continued without regret on his part. As much as it was impossible to believe, as much as he loathed the idea...

Naruto decided to keep his mouth _shut _for once.

Blinking for a moment, Naruto gazed down at the bashful Hyuuga before him. Unable to meet his puzzled stare, she stood in front of him for several seconds, wringing her forehead protector between both of her hands while looking down towards the ground. At first Naruto was waiting for her to say something back to him, but when it didn't seem like she was going to do that, he blinked. Once was not enough; four blinks later, sapphire opened with an infinite slowness as he dared to voice the words.

"I'll do it." He slid to his knees beside Ino. "Hold still."

He laid his hands over hers.

"Take my chakra." Naruto's tone brooked no argument; nor did it allow for conversation. Flushing, Ino

"E-Eh, what the hell are you-

"Please, move, Ino." Naruto didn't wait for the Yamanaka's consent, he could already feel his heart slamming against his ribs, deafening him. Whatever reply she gave was left unsaid and unheard with the pressing danger of Hanabi's condition. Naruto tremulously took her vitals while the last remnants of Nagato's will, left behind in his eyes, directed him. Naruto didn't know what he was doing, only that his hands were directing her, but Ino was doing most of the work.

"Naruto-nii!"Hanabai lurched upright as the blue blow faded from his hands and the green from Ino's palms. "I was right! I told them you'd win!" Wordlessly, she fisted her hands into the lapels of his coat and clung to them. "I knew." She insisted, eyes welling with unshed tears. "I knew you wouldn't die!" Hanabi didn't wait for Ino to draw aside, she flung herself at him. Naruto yelped in surprise, but he made no effort to draw aside as Hanabi burst upward and wrapped herself around him, flinging her body into his and burying her head within his chest. She clung to him as a child would to her elder brother. That said child was sixteen and said "brother" eighteen, made for a rather awkward embrace. Especially when Hanabi was second only to her elder sister in terms of grace and beauty.

None of which were more apparent as she bawled her pretty little eyes out.

"I hate you!" She sobbed. "I hate you, Naruto-nii!"

"Oi!" Naruto tried his best to assauge Hanabi, but her flurry of blows were starting to sting. "Why do you hate me now?" Hanabi was always like this, whereas Hinata was introverted, her sister had to be extroverted, of course. Honestly, he was starting to understand why Shikamaru called Ino troublesome, because Hanabi was just the same! Naruto contented himself to helpless silence as she took her hands into fists and started beating futilely against his chest.

"Don't ever do that again!"

Naruto remained motionless as Hanabi pounded at his chest with her firts, the weak blows allowing him to pull himself into a sitting position. All the while Hanabi threatened to Jyuuken him to death if he ever did something so stupidly reckless again because it was stupid and he was stupid for doing something so stupid and then Naruto lost sense of it. She tossed a few more words and essential variations of the word "baka" and other colorful explicative before Hanabi, as most children do, beat the anger out of herself.

Naruto failed to hide his smile as Hanabi fumbled and fussed at him with words. He tried not to laugh, really, he did. But it was just _priceless._ Curvaceous vixen though she was becoming, this gorgeous sexy creature that was using his shirt _-hey!- _as a tissue was still very much the same. She always threw tantrums, and this, though slightly more appropriate given his "death" was no exception. Some day, Hanabi was going to be married off to some noble or Kage or something, but for now, he snickered and avoided her ineffective blows and listened. He mussed at her hair and she started bawling all over again before it seemed as though she'd finally cried all her tears.

_'Finally.'_

For all appearance, Hinata was still very much a little girl.

"Baka!" She sniffled, plucking at his arms as she wriggled out of his lap and sprawled herself on her knees. She scrubbed at an eye with the back of her hand, and sniffled for a final time as she rubbed away the tears she'd unwillingly shed.. "Naruto no baka!" Naruto risked a piteos glance for help and accidentally found Hinata. Unaware of his stare, the Hyuuga heiress had drawn herself away from them, and allowed Sakura to tend to the last of her wounds alongside Ino.

She waved off the stretcher, claiming she was alright.

Naruto remembered her words and guilt coursed through him. Warmth and amusement were filling her every features as the sunlight caught in her hair and set it afire with radiance. Naruto's stomach twisted and it wasn't from hunger as Hanabi followed his gaze. Hinata caught Naruto staring _-damn he'd tried to be sneaky-_and jerked her gaze away with bright blush and all. Naruto was grateful that the medics approached him next, because as much as he didn't want to upset Hanabi, Hinata's words were blazing in the back of his brain again.

"Hanabi-sama, we've been instructed by your sensei to take you the hospital." Naruto spared the medic a relieved glance. "Please, if you would." Hanabi groaned in annoyance, rose, strangely without her usual vehemence, and stooped toward Naruto before he could blink. Something soft touched his cheek and then she allowed herself to be helped into the medical stretcher and her fractured elbow to be tended to, posthaste.

_'What, her too?'_

Naruto was left to stare after her, touching at his cheek.

'W-Well, I guess I should go talk to her...

Then he was walking and several dozen events began at once. Naruto forced himself to walk toward Hinata, but Kakashi-sensei just so happened to be in the way. Naruto made a sincere effort to tell his sensei about Nagto's final gift, but the Jonin would hear none of it. He smiled, congratulated Naruto for all his hard work, and sent him on his way. Perplexed by the unusually curt dismissal, Naruto found himself alone, and the prospect of speaking to Hinata in the prescence of so many others left him...wary.

Naruto levled a glare toward the twitching form of Hiashi, buried headfirst in the mud. Paramedics reluctantly tended to the man. There was no enthusiasm in their faces, nor was as much as a spring in their step as there was when a blushing Hanabi _-who still didn't protest-_was carried away on a stretcher. Naruto waved and loudly promised that he would visit tomorrow, already looking for a way too escape the suddenly inconceivable task of talking to Hinata.

_'I'll just d-do it tomorrow.' _He tried to hide himself in the crowd, wondering why Ino and Tenten winked conspiratorially at one another. He also wondered and why _oh why _Tenten continued to usher her toward him despite Hinata's bashful protestations and insinuations that maybe she r-really sh-should go the hospital a-after all. Naruto tried to slink away before he could be seen,only to realize that too, was not going to happen.

"Alright, c'mon!" Naruto whirled as Ino broke away from the group, and made a beeline for him with such speed that he hadn't a chance to recover. "You're not chickening out on Hinata, Naruto!"

Hinata squeaked.

"She seems to be embarrassed." Naruto glared balefully at Katsuya, having forgotten she was still on his shoulder. "Perhaps you should talk with her." Naruto lost all the color from his face. No way, not a chance! He had to get out of here before they found him and-

Too late.

"Ow!" Naruto hissed as Ino inexplicably grabbed his wrist. "Ino, what the hell! That hurts!" That kick in the shin hurt more and he withered under her balefully sweet glare, one that only Yamato-sensei could hope to defeat. Ino tilted his head toward Hinata, a knowing twinkling in her eyes. "No!" Naruto shook his head rapidly. "M-Maybe I should go the hospital myself, a-actually!"But Naruto, for all of his newfound strength and bloodline limit, could not free himself. Cowed, Naruto allowed himself to be hauled toward Hinata, who was being led -gently- by a smiling Tenten. Naruto ravished the blond with a furious glare, one that had positvely no effect

"There's the hero." Tenten winked for Hinata as Ino dragged Naruto toward the two of them. "Go get em' girl!" A swift swat on the rear sent Hinata scuttling forward toward the protesting blond whom Ino was not-so-subtly guiding toward her. Finally, all said and done, the two had been not so subtly pushed together, albeit against their wills. Ino and Tenten withdrew as well, and then, save for the crowd that still shouted encouragements of Naruto's triumph earlier today, patted her on the back as she herded them together, Naruto

"Nani?" Naruto blinked. "Um...hey...Hinata."

"Good luck." as they insisted that Hinata had someting to tell him.

Best just ti get this over with.

"Sorry about that guy." Naruto grimaced when the Rinnegan flared furiously in protestation. "Actually, that was a lie, I'm not sorry about him." I'm just so sick of his mouth."

Abruptly, his face contracted and the grimace deepened into a frown of intense concentration.

"Hey, Hinata?"

"H-Hai?"

She blinked meekly at him and he at her, squinting down against the harsh afternoon sunlight. Naruto stared. He couldn't help himself. She shouldn't be standing, he remembered, Pain-no, Nagato, it was Nagato, not Pain, had stabbed her in the throat. Granted she'd been healed/ revived with all the others, but he could still see the pink spot where she'd been healed. Hinata would live and those splotches would heal, but Naruto would always be reminded of how close she'd come to death.

It hurt.

It hurt, and Naruto felt even more hurt as his exhaustion finally caught up with him. His balance went and he stumbled forward, nearly falling into her arms, allowing the Hyuuga heiress to stand in the same instant that Naruto dropped to one knee. Now, of all times? Naruto felt his muscles clamping down, body moving of its own will; because everyone had frozen. His hand crackled out, and snagged hers, his head downturned sharply as his body nearly collapsed.

"What you said before...

She cried out, a strangled sound leaving her lips. Naruto felt something twist inside him as she tugged him by the wrist, and he had to fight the tears. Hinata pulled him back to his feet almost before she even realized what she'd done. That didn't matter! She shouted at herself. None of that mattered! She never wanted to let him fall, _never again! _Naruto was quivering as she helped him rise, his head downturned, words muffled. But Hinata heard him with a crystal clear intensity once she brought him back to his feet, back to his strength.

"Did you mean it?"

Hinata jumped slightly, looking up at Naruto with wide, startled eyes.

"Na-Naruto-kun?"

He kept his head down; because he could feel his own cheeks heat up as warm streaks of water spilled down them, the tears slowly dripping from his chin. Naruto forced a nervous smile as he turned to face a blushing Hinata, who had shown so much courage in the span of a single day, risked her life on his behalf so many times, that he was awed. He was captivated -enrapt- as she pushed his fingers into fists and laid her own hand atop them, keeping them together, in place.

"I said did you mean that, Hinata!" Naruto wasn't shouting at her, he was shouting at himself, and the ragged agony in his throat. "Did you mean what you said!"His tears were immediately met with a very small smile. Now it was Hinata who trembled, her body shaking with the shudders that would soon become sobs if he didn't do something. But what? He was the one crying! He couldn't just barrel through this like everything else! He didn't want her to cry because of his stupidity, he couldn't bear to see that now, because this was...was...

Hinata's lips moved and the words stuck in their throats.

"Y-You heard me?"

The words sent a cold lance of ice through his chest.

Realizing that he wasn't going to get an answer, Naruto started moving a bit, fidgeting in place. He only made it about halfway however, when she made a sound and it was a sound unlike anything he hade ver heard before now. It was a small gasp, no a sob really, and it ripped through that dense fog that always covered his mind. Tearing at his heartstrings. tugging at his heart, Naruto frowned at the strange sensation welling up inside his chest as she repeated the last of her words...

_"...I love you."_

"What...did you just say...Hinata?" Naruto gawped, disbelief, travesty, and awe painting his face into a strange series of emotions. Flickering across his face in a series of strange blinks, they became an emotion that was neither these three nor any other. "Did I hear you right?" He mumbled, hesitant, uncertain, needing to know, to make certain. "Hinata... maybe... you could...say it again...?"

The words stuck in her throat.

"I s-saind I-I've always l-loved..." Hinata swallowed them, ruthlessly suppressed her rising stomach, and pushed her fingers together. She had to say it. She'd said it twice already, why should a third time be that difficult? She shook her head and tried her best to meet his faded gaze. "Na-Naruto-kun, w-what're I'm trying to say is...difficult." She asked, placing one delicate hand on her chest, focused on the rapidity of her heart, and trying her very best not to faint. "I-Is something wrong with y-you? Is there something that y-you might be trying to say...maybe to...maybe...to -m-me?"

Naruto felt despair.

Hinata kept asking him so nicely, over and over again, that...

That made him angry with himself.

_Very_ angry.

"Of course!" He roared! "Of course I'm trying to say something! I'm trying to say I can't stop thinking about _you_!"

He said this so fast that Hinata was left in _shock_.

"Y-You th-think about me?"

"Everday! When I'm awake, when I'm asleep, **aargh!" **He clawed at his matted blond hair, as if to rip out the incessant thoughts of her, the constant images that would not give him peace, no matter what he tried. "You're always on my mind, I'm always thinking about you, and its driving me _nuts_! Just what the hell did you mean about me back there! You've got me all confused and mixed up inside and now none of this makes any sort of sense to me!"

_'He thinks about me? I'm always on his mind?'_

"Damnit, and the worst part of it is that I like it it! And I...I..._.I-_

The world fell silent.

"I love you." They were very, very soft words. There was no movement, except for the fact that that they were both shaking ever so slightly. They just stood there, eyes screwed tightly shut as both Uzumaki and Hyuuga spoke as one. It was amazingly simple, just to stand there, wrapped up in nothing but each other.

_'There are rules against this.'_

Shame flooded into Hinata Hyuuga.

"Naruto-kun, I...I...

"No more talking." He mumbled suddenly. "I'm so _sick _of talking. All everyone ever does is talk talk talk! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being a disappointment and I'm sick of making a damned fool of myself for every time I open my mouth because I'll always keep putting my foot in it so, please!" Naruto shook his head vehemently, unaware of her riveted attention. "No more talking. I know it might be too soon for me to be saying something like this or thinking this or talking like this, but...please...please don't clobber me!" Naruto had been shaking her gently all the while the end, his hands fallen upon her shoulders.

Now he stopped.

_"Please..._don't hate me for what I'm about to do, Hinata-chan."

He flung his arms around her ans squeezed with such force that Hinata felt as though her spine would break. His chin appeared over her shoulder, arms seizing around her back. Timidly, she raised her hands, tentatively returning the embrace as she hugged her ramen loving bond. Naruto held tight and refused to release her, as though she'd vanish once he pulled away. Hinata laid her head against her chest and kept it there for fear of a similar consequence, captivated by his heartbeat and the steady thump-thump-thump that reverberated through him.

"Do you hate me?" Naruto mumbled into her shoulder. "I've been really stupid about this so I'll understand if-

If she hated him? How could she hate Naruto? Hinata nearly tore herself from Naruto, such was her disbelief. Quite the contrary, she only held him tight. She could never, never hate Naruto-kun. She'd lay down her own life for him if it meant his happiness. There was no greed or selfishness in this love of hers, didn't he understand? Hinata willed herself to ignore the crowd of onlookers. Wiled those large and luminous orbs of lavender to glance upward, her body to wriggle in his arms and her neck to raise her head so that she might look at him.

"Never."

Her answer was remarkably forthcoming.

_"Never." _Was that really her voice? She had that voice? She was the one who had whispered that word? That firm declaration of denial? _Oh kami._She was going to tell him. She could feel the words coming, boiling out of her stomach, rising up her throat, boiling over her tongue and, leaving her mouth raw. "Naruto-kun, I could never hate you because I...

"B-Because?" Naruto froze again and the world was ice. Hinata was the sole speck of warmth amongst that bitter world of frozen tundra. He wanted for nothing more than to warm himself by that fire, and never ever let her go. With great restraint, he remained rooted where he stood, painfully aware of the smiling and approval draping around them like a shroud. He watched, waited, as Hinata's lips began to tremble, and her body to quiver, leading to the sobbing he thought, but her voice was sudden soft and leve; although she was still shaking like a leaf.

_"Because I love you, Naruto-kun."_Hinata trembled, but her voice was grounded, diamond tough. "Because I love you so much that my heart feels like it'll burst at any moment." Naruto watched all his troubles and sorrows and dejection and he watched all of them burn with the world. He watched all that he'd known, all that he'd thought himself to be, burn the blackness bright with her words. "I've always admired you, I've always watched, you, and I could never hate you, I just couldn't and I can't believe you'd think that I would!" He remained numbed as Hinata's voice rose, the sharp staccato of a sob drowning him out and down and filling him with what was it called?

Closure.

Hinata was silent once again, her visage upturned, awaiting his reply. Naruto had no to give. And even if he did, it would be inadequate after that brillaint soliloquy. What could he say to top something so profound, so wonderful, that the words refused to come to him? Uzumaki Naruto could not, no matter how hard he tried. Though he strived to find them, he failed, just as he'd failed to bring Sasuke back. And just like that, the raw wound that was the Uchiha's betrayal tore open again.

_'Am I going to screw this up, too?'_

Time had done little to heal Uzumaki Naruto. It had made him stronger, it had left him colder, and it had left him wiser in the way of the world, confronting him with the terrible truth that was the hatred for shinobi. But in the end, time had not taught Naruto how to deal with women. If anything, time only served to further confound him concerning the infinite intricacies of the opposite sex. Until recently he hadn't even given girls all that much thought, although he still resented the fact that a number of said kunoichi could easily kick his ass. Hinata didn't need to be strong like Sakura, she didn't need to flaunt her beauty as Ino Yamanaka did, and she didn't need to be terrifying like Ano-sensei or baa-chan.

No, where the matter of Hyuuga Hinata was concerned. Naruto did not have the words to express himself to Hinata. He did not posses the silver tongue needed to thank the heiress for what little light she'd given him; because that infinitesimal speck of brightness had saved Uzumaki Naruto. He couldn't express his gratitude in any way save for thank you, and "thank you" tasted woefully inadequate compared to that. But in the end, all he managed was a lame croaking sound that went something like this:

_"What?"_

It was the right thing to say.

_"Because I love you!" _Hinata blurted out, a trace of pink adjourning the pearly features of her face. She'd said it! Hinata jerked her head down, playing her hands through her hair, unable to look because if she looked now, she wouldn't be able to look away. Ultimately, she failed. Those beautiful orbs of pearl and sapphire locked upon sapphire. She looked him in the eye and fought herself; because he had the sudden inkling that she might faint at any moment, with all these eyes watching them. Now that, was a situation that Naruto could remedy. Given that he possessed some control of the insane ability the was his speed _-whoulda thought it was an actual bloodline- _he decided the best way to correct the problem, was to get away from all the people.

Naruto swept Hinata off her feet with such force that the Hyuuga squeaked, _squeaked _as Naruto pulled her off the ground and into his arms. Sensei sweatdropped, as did most of the populace. Hyuuga Hinata turned a stammering scarlet as he supported her waist with one hand, and her legs with the other._ Ha!_Ero-senin's perverted teachings _were _useful after all! Naruto didn't need seals to run, this speed of his, because by the time he'd pulled Hinata from her standing position, his eyes had already flickered golden becoming like the safforn as they always did during the release of his bloodline.

"Na-Naruto-kun!"

Startled, Hinata cried out, flung her arms around Naruto's neck, and then they were gone. Naruto's leap was nothing short of extraordinary. One moment they'd been standing in the ruins of Konoha, the next, _next _they were atop the Five Faces of the Hokage, one of the few undamaged areas of the village. Naruto touched down upon the face of the yondaime and Hinata swooned as she saw the drop awaiting them below.

Naruto didn't release Hinata, her Hinata as though she was a princess, and he the prince. Hinata found herself absentmindedly twirling a finger into his chest when he inquired as to her blush for what felt like the umpteenth time. Naruto, had he always been this handsome? He'd always been noticeably taller than her _–how had she failed to notice– _but now those few inches felt like a yard now, and she was so very, _very _small under his confusing, imposing stare. Hinata wanted nothing more than to sink into the earth without the benefit of a _douton _jutsu. Such were these emotions as she saw a terrible realization dawning within those sapphire blue orbs. His eyes seemed to pierce right through her, moreso than they had when she'd been stabbed by Pain and reduced to a mere shadow of her former self. But this wasn't anger. This was an emotion infinitely more gentle. This look in his eyes as they widened and welled with tears, the nervous smile, so kind, and tender, fiercely protective and soft and warm and breathtakingly loving...

"Please don't bop me." Naruto begged for a final time."Hinata-chan."

"Naruto-_mmph!"_

He lowered his lips to hers and their world fell away.

_'Did he just...is Naruto-kun actually..._

Naruto cut her off with a kiss, his lips pressing against hers with the repressed passion of an eternity. Hinata froze, becoming like a stature in the embrace. She melted into his warmth. She immediately returned the action, her mouth moving on top of his with an equally, feverous desire. Wonderful, so incredibly wonderful. He regretted that he'd never kissed her earlier; her instant reaction to his kiss letting him know she'd been waiting, _waiting _for him to _finally _make a move. They remained locked together for what felt to Naruto like an eternity, his heart swelling within his chest as he tasted her tongue against his.

He finally broke himself away from her, the anguish of the action striking painfully at his soul, knowing that this would be something painful, something terrible, something so wonderful that none of this even mattered anymore. Nothing but the trembling and quivering and sobbing woman in his arms. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at him; sapphire orbs welling up, growing large while she struggled to swim through thick emotions. He could feel his own cheeks heat up as warm streaks of water spilled down them, the tears slowly dripping from his chin.

No words were given in that moment of solidarity, they would have soiled the flawlessness of this instant. Mute, she wriggled into his arms and _stayed there. _She let his warmth drive the cold from her skin and soul, that slight dampness misting into her hair as he clung to her and she him.

"Me too."

She twisted, trying to look up at him in his arms while all the world fell away.

"It might be soon to say this for me, but, Hinata... I... I love you."

A small sob left her lips.

"T-Truly?"

"Y-Yeah." Naruto was blushing _-flushing- _as his brain caught up with his heart.

"Ano...if that's the case...then...could I ask you something?"

"Uh?" Naruto blinked owlishly. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No, everthing is v-very right...

Hinata turned postively _pink._

"Hinata?" Naruto peered at her. "You're turning red again-MMPH!"

Her head jerked up suddenly and Naruto tasted tongue. Large, round breasts pushed through the mesh of her body suit and pressed themselvs against his chest. All that was supple and soft and kind and infinitely warm, threw itself into Naruto's chest with Hinata's body. She cleaved herself against him and their lips met with enough force to jar their teeth. Naruto gasped into her mouth, the sound emerging as a startled "Mmph!" as he lost hold of her, as she wriggled out of his arms and pulled him down, his chest meeting _her _bosom; her body laid flush against him.

_Gods!_

Oh yes, Ero-senin would be _very _proud of his student.

All that was supple and soft and womanly pressed upon Uzumaki Naruto for all of an instant. And then it was over. A soft rustling of leaves caught-no, demanded his attention just then. He pulled back, eyes widening alongside Hinata's as a host of shinobi appeared before them. Nine shinobi, clad in a light attire of armor, black seamless body-suits. Each of whom, wore some manner of a mask ranged from a hawk, to a wolf, or a fox, Naruto soon lost track as he recognized the Leaf Anbu Squad.

"Uzumaki Naruto-dono." The slim fellow bearing the hawk mask began, "The Damiyo wishes to see you." He spared a glance for Hinata, realized the way in which she lay, and paused. "Hinata-sama." He coughed into a fist, seeking to alleviate the gravity of the situation, of his interruption. "Erm, my apologies. We were unaware that the two of you were...otherwise engaged." There was a rustling of amusement from the other eight companions, to which the duo flushed furiously.

"Hmm...I suppose we can allow you to accompany him." There was no mistaking the smile in the captain's voice. "But I would ask that the two of you refrain from such displays of physical affection for the course of the meeting." Did that guy just wink behind the mask? Naruto ravished him with a baleful glare, but opted not to call the Anbu on it. Kami, how had he grown up to be so dense when the entire village was filled with all of these perverts!

"Um...okay?"

Hinata squeaked out an affirmative of her own, and tried not to faint.

Naruto blinked as Hinata reluctantly pulled herself off him. Surprisingly, the Anbu courtesly extended a hand to assist them in rising. Naruto was instantly alerted by this deference of gesture. Although he was still a genin, and Hinata a chunin -blast- even Naruto could see that this man was treating him with respect. Funny, how he noticed stuff nowadays. But why would the Feudal Lord want to see him, of all people? Naruto briefly reflected upon the trouncing of Hiashi and hoped he wasn't going to be called on it. Given that he'd had such a thing coming, prick of a father that he was.

"Why me?" Naruto straightened, scrubbing at the back of his neck while he pulled Hinata up with him, hand in hand. "Did something happen?" Another rippling, this one was sheer stupefaction, hadn't he realized anything in the hours it had taken him to return? Even the Anbu captain was momentarily dumbstruck. "What?" Naruto glowered at the lot of them and wondered at their muttering. "Okay, will someone please tell me why everyone is looking at me like I've grown an extra head?"

Hawk-mask was the first to recover.

"Were you not informed, sir?"

_"Sir?"_Naruto and Hinata blinked, synonymously. All the anbu appeared to reclaim their balance, realizing that the pair hadn't a clue as to what had happened, rather, what had been happening all the while as Pain was being fought; first by the entire village, then defeated by Naruto. Now the very same sage who had defeated Pain, was squinting at them as though he hadn't a clue as to what they were talking about.

"It...concerns the matter of Lady Tsunade's successor." Naruto stiffened, an explosion of breath deserting his lungs, creating a vicious hiss. "She's fallen into a coma." Naruto would have turned his ass around and hurtled back to the villages gates, but for the man's hand upon his shoulder. Naruto paused, glanced at the black gloved fingers holding his wrist, and considered the possibility of breaking free from the iron clamp of fingers and flesh closed around his arm.

"Naruto-kun...

Hinata's voice pluncked him from his musings.

"Why is baa-chan in a coma?" Naruto ripped his wrist free, but abstained from leaping to his doom. "She was perfectly fine when I last saw her!" Naruto was shaken. It was impossible. He was rubbing at his temples and fghting the tears tha tried to leak down his cheeks. That visage, once incredibly exuberant filled with passion as he'd captured her lips, was now infinitely older. Careworn, filled with stressful thoughts the like of which she'd never known and still didn't know, now that they were practically eighteen; adults, some would even say.

"What happened." Naruto's smile and happiness and warmth all dropped away. Hinata squeezed his hand and he clung to that hand as though he were lost at sea and she, his only lifeline. Exhausted and fearful, anxiety welled up from her every pore and joined with disbelief, twisting into a mask of confusion as the Anbu outlined the events of what had been happening while Naruto combated Pain, and the events leading up to his slow and staggering return, battering of Hiashi, and...well, now.

Hinata flushed.

"I-I see...

Had they really been up here for that long? Hinata feared for the worst, that all her hopes were for naught. Would some great and terribly tragedy wrench him away from her, now that she's confessed her true feelings for him, now that she loved him, and he her? Was fate truly so cruel? She clutched at his hand, hopes flagging, eyes welling with unshed tears_. No. _It couldn't possibly end like this. Not now, not when she's finally...finally...kissed him and held him and listened to him whisper sweet and soft words to her...

_**NO!**_

The Anbu's reply crushed that terrible seed of dobut and turned its rechid fruit to ash.

"But we are not here to arrest you, Naruto-dono. Nor you, Hinata-sama. To prevent further confusion, allow me to be as blunt as possible." The Anbu dropped to a knee, as did the other eight. Naruto froze. Hinata blinked, stiffened, unable to comprehend such a sudden action."There are three matters to bring to your attention." He inclined his head. "First. The Raikage has called for a summit, and I will be frank as to the importance of this summit, at another time. However, you should know that this summit will be a convening of the Five Kages, from Stone, Cloud, Mist, Sand, and of course, Leaf."

He held up two fingers.

"Second. As you have told Hatake Kakashi and as he has informed me, you are the Yondaime's-

_"I know." _Naruto snapped, abruptly unfrozen. "Next topic, pleace."

"I-I see." The Hawk-masked Anbu nodded. "This then, brings me to the third matter that will be discussed by yourself, the Damiyo, and the council of Konoha. Steel yourself, if this pains you, sir. You're to be considered as Namikaze Naruto, henceforth." Hinata turned her gaze upon Naruto, briefly hurt. It was a blow to him too, she could see. He must've learned of it only recently, because the agony within those darling sapphire orbs was much, much too great to be kept secret.

"Sorry." He mouthed loosely, quietly. "I...I wouldn't keep something like that from-huh?" Naruto paused in mid-sentence because Hinata chose that moment to do something odd. Hinata leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek, flushing, despite herself. Naruto blushed. Hinata flushed, looped her arm in his and relcaimed his hand. She turned her gaze back to the Anbu, pretending to give the shinobi all of her attention when she was totally focused on Naruto, instead.

Gods, he just made her feel so...alive!

Hinata breathed, willing herself to calmness as the Anbu spoke for the final time.

"Furthermore, as the son of Minato Namikaze, now come of age, there is an almost insurmountable task I am about lay upon your shoulders." The Anbu paused, whether for dramatic tension or breath, Hinata knew not. "Again, I must ask that you steel your heart for what I am about to tell you, sir." Hinata blinked, the tendrils of thought dissolving. Whatever she'd been forming, whatever idea or any inlking of understanding dissolved; slipping through her fingers. She tried to hold onto this daunting realization that dwarfed her mind, but her attempt failed miserably. Instead of the crystalline clarity she'd held moments before, Hinata was left feeling frayed, and disjointed.

_'They couldn't possibly be thinking of..._

Appalled, Hinata ruthlessly severed those loose, disconnected threads of disbelief. This was Naruto's ultimate dream, about to be made reality before his very eyes! Who was she to darken it with any niggling doubts or misconceptions? Hinata shook her head, shook herself, and came back to sanity just in time to hear the very words Naruto had always dreamed of hearing. Hinata had dreamnt of it too, though never in such splendor, approached by nine Anbu, standing upon the stone likeness of his father, and with her by his side.

She pinched herself to make certain. _Ouch! _Hinata winced when a pinprick of pain protested from beneath the sweater. No, this was most certainly not a dream. Naruto blinked down at her, and Hinata willed herself to be completely and utterly silent. If she was wrong about this, she didn't want to get his hopes up. But how could she possibly be wrong? All roads had lead to this one for them, from the first days with the academy, to genin, to the invasion during the exams, Sandaime's death, Tsunade's retrieval...

Hinata lost herself when the ANBU inexplicably formed a single-file line, facing them.

_'This is..._

"Namikaze Naruto!" Abruptly, the nine Anbu stood as one. "As per the final order of the Godaime, last will and testament of Lady Tsunade," With their captain's announcement, the Anbu unit moved as one being, their posture straight, erect, and unsusceptible to even a hint of disloyalty. "You have been given an honor beyond all honorus one vetoed only by the Damiyo himself!" Heads inclined, they faced the earth and stared at it as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world. Without warning, each of those masks leveled upon the disbelieving blond, and the Hawk-Mask Anbu removed his mask and stepped forward, taking a knee immediately thereafter.

"Namikaze Naruto, Kami willing, we nine will serve as your personal bodyguards during your term of office." Naruto looked like he'd been kicked between the legs; such was the sound he made. Naruto was still scrambling to understand it when he heard the words he'd never dreamed of hearing. "We know this is sudden, Namikaze Naruto, but Tsunade-sama made it quite clear. You are to be chosen as her sucessor, and with the damiyo's approcal, you are tobe the Rokudaime Hokage."

Naruto froze.

_'Me?'_

This was what he'd always wanted, though he'd never dreamed it would come about in such a fashion. It was as though his soul had been stripped naked and all the kunai in the world had flown and sank into it at once. Naruto looked like he'd laugh, cry, scream and roar all at once and he did nothing_. _He struggled for breath. Hyperventilated. His visage wrestled with confusion as the Anbu awaited his reply a reply he now had to give. He choked aloud, coughed, and raised his voice so he could be heard.

"Me?" He whispered. "The Sixth Hokage?"

"Yes." There was not the slightest hesitation. "The meeting will be starting shortly, do you accept this recommendation?" Naruto realized with nameless dread, that he could refuse. Grandma Tsunade had recommended him, but it was still well within his rights to refuse. He risked a glance to Hinata. She smiled, and that smile told him that wherever he went, she would follow. But Hokage? Even the thought of replacing Baa-chan left Naruto numbed.

"A-And if Baa-chan d-doesn't recover?"

"Then you would continue in your duties, naturally." The Anbu glanced spared Hinata a cursory glance. "Of course, Hinata-sama would have her own bodyguards, sir. You could personally handpicked them yourself, if you'd prefer to do so in Tsunade-sama's absence." Naruto squinted and Hinata found his expression to be absolutely adorable, despite the confusion. The Anbu fidgeted, each man and woman ill at ease until Naruto spoke.

"I...I see."

Naruto looked as though the darts had hit him again, and said nothing. Hinata weakly placed a hand on his shoulder, but she needn't have bothered; trembling was one thing, but Naruto had stopped trembling and started shaking. He quivered, a strange sound rising from the back of his throat as he touched one hand to his face and began to breath slowly, very slowly as he tried to steady himself.

"I, Namikaze Naruto...Accept this position."

**A/N: GODS I HATE HIASHI! YES, NARUTO HAS NAGATO'S EYES, IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, WHICH MEANS, HEHEHE NO RINNEGAN FOR MADARA-TEME! The jinton isn't Minato's and I know that but I figured, hey, I'd go for originiality. Naruto is head over heels for Hinata. YUP. Hanabi, erm, I am not so much sure, but hey, why not give him two Hyuuga Babes instead of one, now that he whipped that baka of a Hyuuga out the door! ALSO! LETS SEE HERE. KYUUBI, MASSIVE CHAKRA, WIND ELEMENT, RINNEGAN, SWIFT RELEASE, AND YOU REALLY THINK I'D LET HIM BE A GENIN?**

**The five Kage Summit Arc should be DOUBLY interesting when Sasuke finds out...LOL!**


	2. Loving Defiance

_**A/N: First, a moment of silence. For all those in japan that have lost their lives to the tsunami and earthquake that has devastated the northeastern coast, and all those left to carry on in their stead and searh for survivors. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this terrible cataclysm. I know that words alone cannot express their grief, their pain, their loss, or all the families that are suffering there now, but may they find peace in the afterlife, for those of you who believe, and those that don't.**_

_**All those who have suffered...our hearts our thoughts and our prayers go out to you.**_

_**...**_

_**Well, I suppose I should start writing, then**_

_**This is DIRECTLY after Pain/Nagato's defeat, DIRECTLY as Naruto comes home and everyone welcomes him back. HOWEVER, I was not at all satisfied by watching the episode, and welll, I wont spoil anything else for you guys and gals, so read the fic, curl up with a pillow, snack, or whatever while you read, and enjoy this fluffy, funny, fucking AWESOME ficlet guaranteed to bring each of you a much needed smile in these difficult times! Also, as a side note, I have changed some things. Naruto was gone for the full extend of his training trip, not just two and half years, he was gone for three. THREE! Second, and a minor change, regarding Hiashi and Hanabi not being present in Konoha, and also her age has been upped and for those who wonder the academy graduation age has been pushed up to FOURTEEN? Hope ya'll like, cuz listening to naruto ost while writing this...REALLY GOT ME UP AND GOING IN MY WRITINGS!**_

_**Reviews=creativity=chapters!**_

_**Please REVIEW and let me know what you think! Reviews improve my writing process!**_

_**(Defiance)**_

She loved him so much.

When the morning finally came, she cuddled while Naruto, _Hokage-sama _was barely conscious, and it had already become her very favorite time of the day. Thankfully, he was still sound asleep, and utterly oblivious to the fact that he lay in bed with such a beautiful beauty spooned up against him, skin against skin. Hinata shared such thoughts and was thoughtlessly quick to draw the hoodieher shift back down before he could wake up and comment on the manner in which they lay, surrounded by an entire contigent of guards, most of whom would be utterly flabbergasted to realized that the love of their most precious Rokudaime was topless. Hinata flushed and realized her blouse had ridden up during their journey. Well, maybe not by itself, Hinata smiled, flushed, and yanked the covers down around them.

Their two day journey to meet the Damiyo was turning out to be the best decision ever. But for now, Hinata curled around her beloved and contented herself to a warm cup of love this morning. Now, if Naruto could just sleep for a little while longer, her life would be complete.

_'He looks so peaceful..._

Naruto was so cute with his hair quashed from sleep, sprawled out amongst the covers. Splayed around her protectively, even in slumber. He was gorgeous, and his lips were the most amazing things in the world. Not to mention his hands. She wanted to fell his skin against hers. She wanted to put her hands on his chest. And vice versa. It made her warm just thinking about it. Many times she had been told to make decisions before she got her heart involved, but that was water under the bridge and down the river and round the bend. Naruto needed her, and she'd never been needed like that before, not by Kiba or Shino or Kurenai-sensei or anyone else.

Hinata needed him, too.

Naruto made her feel beautiful and good. Naruto made her feel like a lady. Heaven above, Naruto made her feel like a princess! Naruto loved her! With a sudden long as intense as it was intense need, Hinata buried herself beneath the covers and wrapped herself around him. She never wanted to get out of bed. She wanted to stay; lingering in his arms forever. Just as she had last night. Just as she would every night thereafter. She could almost feel his breath in her ear. Would it be so wrong to wake him? While they had a moment? Hinata knew that Naruto wouldn't be angry. Not with her. Never was he anything but a gentleman in her prescence, despite the thoughts that must've tormented him during the silence of their long and lasting liplocking.

If those Anbu hadn't come, he might've taken her, then and there, but Kakashi and Yamato-taichou hadn't been so easily fooled by Naruto's lengthy leap of faith, nor had they been exactly approving of the two of them traveling together Juxtaposed to having _either _of them in plain sight, Hinata and Naruto had been ushered here, into this lonely little room, where they could easily...

_'But...would it really be so wrong?'_

Such thoughts set her face burning.

Truly, had it been three days already? Three days since he'd said those blessed words? Three days since she'd kissed him? Three days since he'd accepted Tsunade-sama's recommendation and they'd been spirited away to this remote location? She'd known the Anbu were anxious to get them out of the public eye, but their reaction had been frightfully fast. Before the words loosed themselves from their lips, they were ushered away; the both of them.

Now, they lay here, housed in a remote and undisclosed location until the Damiyo could be fetched and the elders summoned. Brought all the food and _-ramen- _they could eat, but no amount of food or drink could hope to settle Hinata's stomach. Everything was happening so fast; she nearly pinched herself again to make sure it was real. But that would have disturbed Naruto-kun and she daren't do such a devious thing after all that he'd been through.

Now, tucked away in a remote safehouse, buried amongst the covers with an armed guard lurking just outside the door, Hinata waited? Despite her resolve to stop stammering and blushing and all of the terrible flushing, she felt her face warming to an impossible shade of pink again. Hinata decided to open her eyes. Squinting open those large orbs of lavender and pearl, she balefuly regarded the rising sun through the paper rice walls on either side of the room. Thick enough to ward against kunai and transparent as glass, she daren't make a sound; lest she draw the attention of their strange little entourage of Jonin and Anbu.

"Eh...Hinata-chan...that tickles...

Hinata squeaked.

"Na-Naruto-kun?"

Forcing herself away from the last remanants of sleep, Hinata risked an upturned glance for Naruto. He was sound asleep, a light shade of pink adjourning his cheek. Flustered by the sight though she must've been, the heiress felt a smile flowering across her face. Kami, he was just so..._wonderful._ Rising with the blush upon her face, she leaned close behind him, prompting her blond to tighten what little grip he had upon her, and mumble something else.

"H-Hey...not there...Naruto giggled _-giggled-_and Hinata saw the thin line of blood trickling down his nose. "I'm...ticklish...

Hinata darkened, colored a dull, dark red by certain words that should not be heard by virgin ears; amongst them certain thoughts pertaining to the fullness of her figure. She forced herself to maintain conciousness, and succeeded, barely. Naruto-kun was having a dream, Hinata realized. This unusually interesting dream of his featured a certain Hyuuga Hinata as the main attraction. Momentarily, his hands tightened and his fingers clenched, caressing her skin, accidentally sending an invisible tingle down her spine, to which Hinata ruthlessly suppressed the urge to faint.

_'Naruto-kun...are you really thinking such things?'_

Somehow, she knew that these were the beginnings of him stirring. Naruto mumbled something incoherent and flopped around her, rolling away, an arm trailed loosely across her cheek. Hinata blinked slowly, the rapidity of her heart drowning out all else while those fingers touched at her mouth and lips. Hinata wasn't having any of it. She curled her fingers within his own and pulled, drawing against him, painfully stifling this slow, reluctant return to conciousness.

What was it that Kurenai-sensei always said?

_"Sometimes you need to think with your heart, not your head."_

Hinata almost pushed her fingers together before she realized her hands were spread far apart, shaking Naruto gently. Naruto snorted, and Hinata almost burst into another fit of giggles before she'd lain herself upon him, stradling him. Naruto stiffened. Perhaps he wasn't as sound asleep as she'd thought him to be. Oddly enough, Hinata wasn't embarassed when she leaned forward, slaughtering the distance between them, laying her head upon his, shaded by those long tresses of dark black and blue.

_'My heart wants...I want..._

Abruptly, the confidence returned, and it butchered the meek protests she'd given to herself. Hinata felt something not lust and not desire warming inside her breast and suddenly, she was speaking to him, speaking softly as she extricated herself from his arms and draped herself over him in a movement too graceful for words.

"Naruto-kun," She whispered, shaking him gently. "It's time to wake up."

"Nu-uh." He wedged his head into the pillow.

"Naruto-kun." Hinata murmurred softly into his neck, pushing herself against him. She forced herself to stop shaking, just as he'd forced himself to be content; suppressing the desire she'd seen slowly smoldering behind those luminescent orbs or blue and sapphire, killing himself, for fear of sullying her innocence. Hinata pushed herself up against her love and traced a slow and gentle pressing of the lips just behind his earlobe; her lips trailing and lingering upon nape of his neck with a slow and infinite fragility that was _anything _but innocent.

Funny what love made you do, huh?

"Honey, you can't sleep all day." Hinata swore she'd _never _say use the word "honey" ever again; because she felt herself blush at the words she'd just used. She'd spoken to Naruto-kun as though he were her husband, her lover, _hers,_not the soon-to-be Rokudaime Hokage! She'd been talking to him as though he were her husband! Despite the lack of a stammer, all at once, she wanted to curl into a ball and bury her head amongst the many pillows. Naruto's upturned expression stopped her desire cold and strengthened the previous one. Suddenly, Naruto-kun didn't look to be quite so...sleepy as he'd been a moment prior to her words. It was just a twitch of his left eye, _more than enough_to warrant a smile from the recently emboldened heiress and ellicit another gentle prodding of the flesh.

"Na-ru-to-kun." Hinata slowly formed the words and left them to trickle from her lips as she delicately placed a kiss upon each lidded eye, first the left, and then the right. She nuzzled her nose against his and forced his head to the side; tickling him with her hair in the way that few men knew to avoid. Naruto mumbled something and weakly reached out; halfheartedly. Hinata allowed his fingers the neccessary curiousity and denied them, watching his face contract in some minor annoyance.

"Hey," he mumbled unconciously, wounded.

"Honey," Hinata was grateful when he rolled over and buried his face in their pillow. "Kakashi-sensei told you what today is, remember?" Now he couldn't see the flushing of her face, or the tears that threatened to start welling out of her eyes and come spilling down her cheeks. "You're meeting with the damiyo in a few hours." He grabbed another pillow and pulled it over his head. Hinata leaned over to grab said pillow, and paused, laying there against his back, saying nothing as she brushed against him. Naruto shuddered, but he wouldn't let go of it. So he laid her hand upon his and traced through his fingers as though she'd the sudden need to be holding them; which, she did, marveling at how soft they'd remained despite the training. Naruto made a sound then. One sounding a great deal like a groan, a snarl, and a sigh.

Knowing Naruto, curiousity would eventually win the day.

"Up, up, up." Hinata repeated, kissing the back of his neck again, simultaneously, slipping her hands from his. "You need to wake up, Naruto-kun." Naruto hissed from something that was not agony as those delicate fingers found the ropy muscles of his back. Thick, knotted muscles clenched, and unclenched as he felt a series of incredibly soft strikes -what a way to use Jyuuken- massaging the tense flesh that, until now, had desired nothing more than to remain in bed and sleep the rest of his life away.

Now, as Hinata tenderly tended to his aching flesh, so too, did Namikaze Naruto _ache._

_'Damn...if I'd know she was like this, I'd have asked her out years ago!'_

She gave a soft sound of amusement when Naruto's mumbling ceased, when he twitched, paused, stilled. All the while, Hinata kept her hands occupied allowing her fingers to trace his skin, taking care to avoid the loose fabric of his slacks _-why must he sleep without a shirt- _while drawing swirls across the toned musculature beneath. Inadvertantly, Naruto's body betrayed him. Surely Naruto had been awakened by her ministrations now, because he spasmed, and then forced himself to be still again.

_'At this rate..._

Blissfully unaware of her lover's thoughts and their sudden downward spiral, Hinata blinked. Paused, confusion filling her face. Perhaps he was sleeping, after all? She delicately jabbed two fingers into his wrist and his hand unclenched from the minute trickling of chakra. Hinata couldn't help it. _She giggled. _That weak trickling of killer intent was simply too amusing, too enticing, as Naruto harmonized a series of muffled expletitives, followed by a stream of harmless curses into the crumpled cotton of the pillow.

_And Hinata laughed._

"I'm s-sorry!" She flew a hand to her mouth, stammering from her failure to stifle the laughter. "It's just...you're...so...

"You're terrible." Naruto harmonized into the pillow for a second time, and refused to look at the gorgeous sexy creature behind him._"Teeeerrrrrrriiiiiible." _Hinata smiled, because it sounded like she was smiling when she called to him over his lamentations of being disturbed.

"Naruto-kun."

_"What?" _His arm was still sore from the accidental injection of chakra, so he ignored the initial lack of reply. It was too damn early to go see the damiyo, it wasn't even the afternoon yet! But when she answered him with still more giggles, and then silence, Naruto wasn't able to fight the concern. Reluctantly, he released his grip on the pillow and sat up in bed. Almost immediately, she pushed herself and Naruto crashed into the covers again, unable to recall why he'd been so hot and bothered to begin with.

Somehow, even as he'd tried to remain silent, tried to stay strong, _tried _to endure her brilliant strategy of seduction, Hinata had tossed him. Naruto cursed his carelessness. He'd seen her taijutsu. He'd seen how deceptively limber she became during combat, yet he'd never even _considered _the possibility of such speed being used anywhere else. Certainly not in the form of an improvised Jyuuken upon his right arm, not enough to hurt him, but just enough to loosen his hold.

_"Mmmph!" _He said. Oh, lord, her lips felt good.

He'd felt his grip break an instant later, and an instant was all Hinata needed to wrest the pillow from him and smother his lips with a warm moistness much, _much _softer than any pillow. No, everything was warm, he realized; because everything was soft, because Hinata was just so damn..._soft. _For a moment, Naruto experienced a serious sense of deja vu. It was like if they'd never been interrupted on the Five Stone Faces. Because Naruto felt things resume. Hinata had laid herself flush upon him, and she was kissing him with all that strangeness as she had before. Really, the only difference here being they were many miles from Konoha, locked in a room, bedding and blankets were involved, and _both _wearing less clothing than before.

_Wu-oh._

Naruto locked his arms at his sides and willed himself to be still. He daren't move anything other than his mouth. If he laid hands on her...

"Are you feeling better now," She asked, nearly sixty seconds after they finally broke for breath. "Naruto-kun?"

"Better?" he repeated dumbly. "You want to know if I'm feeling better?"

Naruto blinked upward, bedhead and all, and marveled. Gods, did Hinata always look so _perfect _when wearing so little? She wore an orange and black jacket several sizes too small for her curvaceous frame; somehow zipped up over her chest and waist, enhancing the gorgeous curves of her figure. But her legs _-kami have mercy- _those legs were brazenly bare, and she was tangled up in him, given that they'd fallen down with one another, and now Naruto wanted to peel the damn jacket off her and hoped she didn't see the look in his eyes. Hinata didn't wear those kind of colors did she? Maybe this was why, because she didn't want to look so...so...

Hinata smiled and he was captivated as two fingers closed around the accursed zipper.

"You're not?"

_'Eh!'_

Naruto froze as he finally came to terms with the lack of clothing both of them wore.

_'Where are my..._

Orange and black were Naruto's favorite colors. Why would Hinata be wearing them? Why wasn't she wearing her pants, _or _her hoodie, for that matter?Why did Naruto _recognize _this ridiculously short jacket; because he owned one just like it, though it wasn't anywhere near as small? _Wait another second._Hinata's tattered hoodie and slacks lay neatly folded nearby the matt. But where the hell was Naruto's jacket, if not to be seen beside hers? He spared the room a percursory glance and found nothing, it was bare save for the matt upon which they'd curled. Naturally, Namikaze Naruto followed this thought to its ultimate conclusion and upon reaching it, he was left frozen.

_Godamnit Shit! _

That was his jacket! _Hinata was wearing his jacket!_Naruto swallowed, suddenly recalling the events of last night, as well as something else while her hair tickled him. Shit. _Shit shit shit._Silken and soft, grown long over years while he'd been gone with Ero-Senin, Naruto hadn't bothered to notice before now, but Hinata Hyuuga didn't have chronic bedhead syndrome. They'd essentially fallen into bed together, such was their exhaustion from the journey, but they hadn't fallen alseep immediately; as he thought, because Naruto looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed; because he _had _just rolled out of bed.

Hinata, on the other hand, was radiant.

For an instant Naruto was struck by how cute she looked doing that, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand like a little kid – nothing at all like the "weird girl" he'd once thought her to be. Just a few days ago, he'd never pictured himself using the words "I" and "Love you" in thr same sentence. Funny how those exact words had changed all of that. Naruto looked at her, he really looked at her, this woman blinking down at him in confusion, her face growing red and redder by the moment as she stared at her, this"weakling" she'd insisted she'd been.

_Bullshit. _

Naruto swore as he watched her arm descend, pulling the zipper all the way down until the jacket tumbled from her shoulders. Crumpling to the ground, Hinata became the center of his world for what had to be the second time. She made no move toward him or for him, she simply smiled. Hesitant, shy, unsure of the conflicting emotions flickering across his face. She just smiled, and that smile nearly drove Naruto to madness, because Hinata didn't do anything else but look at him, those twin orbs of the finest pearly filled with nothing but the deepest, most intense love; capturing his attention and holding him forever fast.

"Y-Your face is red...Na-Naruto-kun." She pushed her fingers together, this time deliberately. "W-Whatever is the matter?" Captivated, Naruto was having increasing difficulty averting his eyes from the goddess before him. Naruto, still a vrigin despite Ero-Senin's attempts to turn him to the Pervy side, felt his nose begin to bleed. There it was, the tell-tale trickling of crimson trickling down his flushing face as he gapwed with dumbly, which could only mean one thing.

Naruto cursed Pervy Sage for the ffith and final time as Hinata pulled herself into his chest.

Naruto was intensely grateful for that because Hinata was wearing something Ero-Sennin would drool over. As it were, Naruto's gaze kept wandering, and for good reason. Kami preserve him, Hinata was wearing lace! _Lace!_Surprisingly brazen in her choice of undergarments, she'd worn a lace bra but the black garment didn't do her justice. Naruto, despite all his training, despite the Rinnegan and the fact that he'd be Rokudaime Hokage in a few short minutes, was riveted to the spot. Gawping at the rounded globes of her breasts bulging within the cofines of her brassiere, swelling against the restraints; _against him _as she pressed herself gently into him, Naruto choked aloud.

_'Damn you, Ero-Senin!'_

Somewhere up in heaven, Jiraiya broke into song and dance, showering praises upon his pupil and cackling like a madman as he did so. Despite earning the ire of nearly every other deceased shinobi up there with him, he laughed all the louder when presented with their eerie glares _and _the multiple expletitives his student thrust upon him. It could even be said that he wept with tears of pride and joy as he continued to cheer his protege onward.

"I knew this day would come! I knew!" Such was his glee! "Minato, Kushina, how I wish you could see this!"

At last!

All that work, all those years of endless "research" paid of at last! His godson had finally become a pervert! He'd never been more proud in all his life! Somewhere across on another cloud, Uchiha Itachi creaked an eye open, a silent smile adjourning his features. Somewhere beside him, Deidara begrudgingly admitted that this too, was art, which was a blast. Sasori, yet another formerly deceased and very much _dead _member of the once illustrious organization, sulked as they all saw Naruto's reactionto Hinata's words.

_...damn."_

His response was immediate, and it was pleasing, and it came with such speed that she couldn't help but wonder if he'd resorted to using his bloodline. Naruto _grabbed _her and flipped her onto the bed next to him. He was strong and so quick, there was no chance for resistance. Hinata gawped up at him, lips parted in disbelief at the sudden reversal. She'd forgotten all about that newfound speed of his _and _his bloodline, actually, and now it cost her most dear. He pushed past her flailing hands and kissed her neck and then lower on her neck and then he was pulling down the bra she'd gone to all the trouble of wearing on and her hands weren't flailing anymore and his lips-

"Ah!" Hinata gasped and rolled out of his arms before he cound find the clasp of her strappings. "We'll be late!"

He let her go.

Naruto flopped back onto the bed and Hinata pretended to look for her hoodie while she admired the muscles of his bare torso. She imagined what the rest of him must look like, _felt _like without all that bothersome fabric in the way. She watched him wander arounbd the room recovering his belongings, moving with a speed and dexterity he hadn't possesed before. Quick and sure in his steps, a stark contrast to the bumbling brazen genin he'd been only a few days before; a sentiment Hinata suddenly felt tenfold.

Hinata imagined some of the things Kurenai-sensei had told her about- things that set her face burning, but sounded ever so wonderful. She flushed, despite herself. Maybe she shouldn't have broken that last kiss. They still had a few hours; after all, the meeting wouldn't be held for at least another forty-five minutes. Hinata risked a glance toward the door, knowing at once that it was unlocked, an uneccessary precaution-

Kunoichi, or no kunoichi, in that moment, she was something more than just cute. Hinata was beautiful. He shook his head. She wouldn't appreciate that comment. It might upset her, and after all the emotional trauma she'd been through in the last five days, Namikaze Naruto had no desire to be making fun of her either.

_'Gods, she's adorable..._

...uto-kun?" Hinata blinked at him, abruptly hesitant. "I-Is there something on my face?"

_Crap!_

"A-Ah!" Naruto flushed and looked away as she stopped rubbing at an eye. "I-It's nothing! Erm...um...I mean, um, j-just trying to make sure I'm awake, is all!" It was a lie, of course. Naruto _knew _he was awake; because he'd never seen Hinata like this, not even in his wildest dreams. Damn Ero-Senin for making him a pervert. Double damn the Akatsuki for causing all this havoc and tossing him into this situation with such a smoking hot beauty of a babe that was Hyuuga Hinata!

"Ehehe...yeah." He finished lamely.

Incredibly, Hinata smiled.

"This is very wonderful and hard for me to accept, too."

Naruto wanted to see her face like that for the rest of his life. He wanted to wake up to that face every morning, every day, ever night, he wanted that smile to never leave. He wanted her, not for her smile or her body, or her personality -though each aspect only served to further complete such a beauty- Naruto just wanted Hinata because, she was _Hinata. _He knew he should stop shaking, should dissolve the thoughts of this was impossible, that this shouldn't be happening to him, but every fiber of his being screamed, yes. Yes, this was genuine, yes this is real, and _yes, you are awake._

**"Having fun, _kit?"_**

So said the voice of a certain fox, who of course, completely killed the experience for poor Naruto.

_'Get the fuck out of my head.' _Naruto fired off an immediate rebuttal. _'You damned bastard!'_

**"Now, now, is that any way to thank me for saving your life?"**

Naruto glowered as an ancient voice reverbated inside his skull. He hated that voice. It was black and blighted. Wreathed in centuries of decay. Bitter and sardonic, brimming with malice so intense and reviled, that his every waking moment had been devoted to keeping its chakra _inside _the seal, for fear of what it might do to his mind. Back then, the voice had been his only friend. A friend that welled his eyes with bitter tears, filled his life with misery, his dreams of bloodshed and torment and slaughter; saying that was all he had, because he'd never have any friends.

No longer.

Now, a mere shell of its former self, it raged helplessly against his smile, and the repaired seal. Naruto smiled as Nagato's blood, _his blood_, the Rinnegan that was their bloodline, the trademark kekkai genkai of the Uzumaki, silenced the beast and rendered it impotent. This voice laughed at his failures, and spat at his victories. It was hollow. Mockery. But worst of all, it was his voice. It was what he would have sounded like if he'd given up the ghost during his battle with Pain. This was what he would've become if he hadn't clawed his way back from the edge of utter oblivion.

_' I said shut up, you damned fox.' _Naruto pushed its presence away._ 'You're not ruining this.'_

**"Oho, so we have a spine now, do we?" **Kyuubi cackled. **"Looks like Nagato was good for something, after all."**

_'You shut the hell up about him.' _Ordinarily, he didn't spout such syllables. But this damned kitsune drove itself under his skin like a splinter and riled him like no other could. He'd give anything to make it shut up and go away, which, was exactly what it wasn't going to do.

**"Or what?" **Kyuubi snapped back, unnerved by the unusual lack of spite from its host. **"You couldn't possibly kill yourself now, not with a beautiful woman in your lap!"**

_'Oh, you're right about that. But I have my own ways...to torment you.'_

**"You wouldn't _dare."_**

_'Too late.'_

Naruto smiled, but he didn't let it show on his face.

"Hinata," He smiled his mock-predatory smile as he poked his head through his tunic. "You asked how I felt before, right?" Pausing in the process of donning formal attire for the meeting, twin pools of pearl flew wide. Hands falling limp as his mouth hingrily closed around hers for a rough kiss.

"I feel like I'm ready to take on the council now, don't you?" Naruto asked softly, trying his best not to stutter as the serene Hyuuga blinked back at him; unable to comprehend the sudden inensity now, as he broke away from her.

"What?" She felt like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. "W-What about the council?" Naruto laughed and this time it was _her _lips that sought his when he kissed her again, bending her body like a taut bow, ready to snap forward at any given moment. How did Hinata Hyuuga feel about that, you might ask?

Hinata felt _fan-fucking-tastic._

**_0o0o0_**

"This meeting shall be called to order."

Now, half an hour after that moment of heated passion, squeezed into a white yukata several sizes too small for such a terse meeting, Hinata was incredibly queasy. She'd never seen so many shinobi pressed into one space, let alone such a small and uncomfortable room. Packed inside and out, they were wedged into the Damiyo's office like sardines. Some of these Jonin and Anbu seated at and around the table were some she recognized, those being the original Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and Ibiki Morino, but that was where the familiarity ended.

Naruto squeezed her hand from where he sat beside her.

"Are we ready to begin, then?" All eyes swiveled toward the voice, falling upon the speaker, the damiyo. He was a stout and pudgy man who kept fanning himself every incessantly, despite the open windows. Garbed in thick robes, slouched in his chair as though heavily burdened, he was the last man Hinata would have expected to command such power. Because there was a strange slothiness to everything about this man, and not so much as a care in the world as he sat there and decided the fate of her beloved.

"Himura-chan," He began in a nasally wheezy voice, "Why don't you start?"

Hinata disliked this man already.

Somehow, she kept her face respectful as one of the two elders straightened. Somehow, Hinata repressed the immediate urge to strike down this so-called venerable advisore to the Sandaime as Naruto's hand clenched around against hers. When she began to speak. Hinata couldn't feel her right hand, such was the pressure her lover exerted upon her fingers.

'How could these two make Naruto-kun's life so miserable?'

Heedless of the bottled killer intent, the crotchety old woman pulled herself upright in her chair, and began to speak.

"Regarding the matter of the Akatsuki, we intend to continue pursuing them with assistance from our allied nations." Said Himura.

"Given, the situation, that is most admirable, Himura-dono," Several frowns greeted one of the damiyo's advisors, practically tripping over himself in his attempts to assauge the elder."With everything that's happened to your village, we of the land of fire shall lend our full support in rebuilding the village but first first we need to put together a budget. Then we need to ease tensions between other nations-

"More importantly, there's something we must attend to first."

Shikaku tsked.

_'I knew it would come to this.'_

"The selection of a new Hokage."

The Damiyo fanned himself for a moment longer.

"So, who else is there?"

"I recommend Namikaze Naruto!" Shikaku, Shikamaru's father, declared firmly.

Hinata felt her beloved tense beside her. She squeezed his hand beneath the table, daring to twine a leg into his. Strange. In the two days that it had taken for everyone to assemble at the meeting place, she'd been unusually bold. She hardly even stammered around anyone now, save for her foxy blond. Naruto swallowed and gave her fingers a squeeze. Hinata still couldn't belive her eyes; the faintest sheen of pink was filling his face as she brushed against him.

"Oho! The son of the Yellow Flash, huh?" He laughed. "Yes, why not? What do you all think, hmm?"

"Indeed...he's renowned, powerful, and virtuous...

"But perhaps a bit too young?"

"I believe his father was a bit older, actually."

A muscle jumped in Naruto's jaw.

"Namikaze Naruto, who was you master?"

That one caused some murmurring.

"Damiyo-sama, Naruto rose to his feet first. "If I may, I would speak." He pulled himself to his feet and stood before the damiyo and did not falter. "As you may or may not know, I've trained under many sensei and I consider all of them to be my master. There are a few notable names amongst them: Umino Iruka, Sarutobi Asuma, Yamato, Baa-chan, Hatake Kakashi, Mitarashi Anko, to name a few. But if I had to say my true master, that would most certainly be...

Naruto thumped a fist into his hand and grinned.

"Ero-senin."

Hinata ruthlessly suppressed a giggle.

_"Ero-senin?"_Even Danzou sweatdropped.

"Ah, you mean Jiraiya!" The Fire Damiyo bobbed his head appreciatively. "If I'm not mistaken, Jiraiya was the Yondaime's master and the Sandaime was Jiraiya's master, yes?" He spared a quick glance for his advisors, all of whom seemed to be in total agreement. "There seems to be no problem at all is there? All right! Then in that case...

"The Sandaime's teachings are practically what annihilated the village!" Danzou barked furiously. "Pain, the one who attacked the village, was once a student of Jiraiya. That is what happens when one sympathizes with outsiders and teaches them ninjutsu! They're naive, all of them! This naivete through the ages allowed our ally the sand, to betray us and allowed Orochimaru to lead a campaign to destroy the hidden leaf. It allowed the rise of the Akatsuki, and allowed Sasuke, a survivor of the Uchiha, to go rogue and work underground!"

"What sort of Hokage do we need know?"

Danzlou slammed a hand upon the table.

"I-

**...will be silent." **Naruto rumbled.

Hinata curled her hands around the thin fabric of her kimono, bunching the fabric around the knees as her beloved stood. Naruto rounded on the warhawk with such vehence that Hinata felt the words die in her throat as they were seconded by another, irritated denouncement. Suddenly, having no recollection of ever seeing himg doing so, he was standing. "Konoha does not need a shinobi of your calibre, not when she already has a superior sucessor." Sapphire orbs glinted violet and rimmed and Danzou was riveted to the spot where he sat, filled with fury and disbelief; uanble to comprehend the sight unfurling itself before those eyes that stared him down and saw through him in a moment of crystalline clarity.

_'This chakra..._

"Danzou," Naruto began abruptly, shattering all that momentum with a single inquiry. "Where were you when Pain attacked the village?"

The silence was deafening.

"What?"

"Where were you," Naruto rose from his seat, unfolding his arms, raising his head. "When the village was burning at your feet?" Shikaku whistled to himself as Inoichi spared a small smile_. Damned but the boy was good. _Choza had little luck in remaining stone-faced either, and Inoichi was nearly beyond himself from outright applause as Naruto snapped shut the warmonger's trap. He stared down the Root founder and awaited a reply. "Our entire village was being razed to the ground, but I didn't see you or those Root Anbu you were told to disband three years ago. Funny thing is, they didn't seem to know where you were, either."

Naruto shrugged helplessly to everyone in the room.

"Damiyo-sama, everyone, is that not strange?"

Danzou looked furious, but the former Ino-Shika-Chotrio were nothing short of exhilarated. Everyone knew Danzou would never divulge his illicit activities, but with several shinobi present, neither could he attempt to deceive the Damiyo. Danzou had disappeared just before Pain destroyed the village. None of them had even thought of that until this very moment. Abruptly, Danzou found himself amidst a congregation of increasingly hostile faces. There was no greater shame than to turn your back on your village. Especially if you were a shinobi of the utmost calibre. Danzou had done just that, but he hadn't expected anyone to have called him on his activities, here, in front of the Damiyo no less!

"You weren't there." Shikaku seconded with a knowing smile. "Not that I saw."

Danzou's scowl deepened.

"So where were you exactly?" Inoichi pressed.

"Must've been really hungry." Choza offered.

Danzou said nothing.

"Even without these eyes, I protected the village." Naruto turned, ravishing the crippled elder with a baleful and bloodied glare."But where were you, Danzou? Where were you, when Konoha needed you the most, hmm?" Naruto's accusation turned these words to ash in his throat. "Where were you, when the children cried and the villagers were forsaken?" A blond brow quirked. "Perhaps, I should tell them, that when you were nowhere to be found, you hid in your bunker and watched your village burn?"

"..."

Naruto laughed bitterly.

"Yes, you would be a kage like no other." He shook his head in scorn. "You, a cowardly Hokage, one who flees and leaves his subordinates to do battle! You, a wretched shell of a man who ignites the fires of war between the nations and watches without remorse as we suffer!" Naruto flung his words at him as though they were shuriken, and they cut deep. "You, who would let this generation lose the very thing that has kept this village standing for more than a century!"

Danzou glowered, cowed, for the moment. Naruto pounced upon the opportunity left for him and was quick to reclaim the attention of the Feudal Lord.

"Tsunade is in a comatose state. I'd like nothing more than to wait for her return, but her chances of recovery are slim at best, given her condition. That is the reason I'm here amongst you all today. All three elders leered at the blond as he straightened, having beaten Danzou to this stratagem. "The village is in ruins." Naruto reminded them. "Lord Damiyo, I'm sure you know this. As I'm sure the rest of you know what line of action she would take." Grimaces met the smile adjourning his face, but Naruto battered them back with his next words. "I'm not the best speaker, so I'll try to be my usual old blunt and obnoxious self for what I'm about to say, Damiyo-sama."

Hinata felt the color leaching from her face.

_'Oh no.'_

The Damiyo nodded in direct assention.

_"Arigatou." _Naruto bowed, the smile slipping from his features in a second. "To be as blunt as possbile...Danzou's an ass." He didn't even spare a glance for the sniveling cripple, despite spikes of killer intent laced within those words. "This guy so I would like to be honest with you."

"With your express permission, I would take Tsunade's place, sir." Naruto inclined his head politely. "She chose me as her successor, and, given I've fought most of Akatsuki before _and _witnessed most of their techniques firsthand, I'd say she made a wise decision." Suddenly, Naruto looked as though he _might _seat himself, but the Damiyo's silence was to great to ignore, and so Naruto straightened once more, this time bowing at the waist in an action of deliberate defferment.

"Damiyo-sama, I'll be frank with you. That is the kind of person I am. Should you choose Danzou, he will lead the Leaf to ruin." Amidst the gasps, Naruto waited for their silence. "Knowing this, please hear me for just a bit longer." When the fan popped open again, Naruto smiled a relieved smile. "You are too kind, Damiyo-sama. Now, I am in full understanding that I posses the Kyuubi no Kitsune, as are the rest of you. There may be valid reasons for some to think _-a withering glare to Danzou-_ that it might control me and influence my actions. This is not the case. Please, hear my case. That's all I've asked and that's all I'm going to ask."

"We cannot allow Akatsuki to have the nine tails." Danzou replied, denying the Damiyo a chance to speak. "As Hokage, you would be a liability to the village."

"I'm well aware," Naruto scowled at the scheming Root Leader, "That being a jinchuuriki makes me a target of Akatsuki. However, I've already defeated two of them, unassisted." He let the statement hang, unadorned. "Furthermore, the Akatsuki are now few in number, and their leader is dead." He touched a hand to his eyes, reminding everyone this "leader" had bestowed the Rinnegan upon him, including all the ocular dojutsu powers that came with them.

"This is my piece in this matter." Naruto said. "All I ask is that you give my peace a chance, sir."

He sat down promptly thereafter much to Danzo's dismay.

"Damiyo-sama you cannot possibly be thinking of-

_"Peace, you say?" _

The Damiyo didn't even look at Daznou; he just raised a hand and kept staring.

"That's an admirable goal you have there, lad." Abruptly, the cheerful smile and light-hearted laugh fell away from the Feudal Lord. "You're just like Jiraiya, aren't you?" Revealed now was a man of iron and flame, freed from the false facade he'd been projecting. _This _was the man to whom the Hokage answered. _This _was the Feudal Lord who kept the Land of Fire united. This was the entity that every Hokage must be held responsible to, knowing that he/she would always be held accountable for their actions.

"However...

Suddenly, the Damiyo wasn't quite so laughable anymore.

"However, Jiraiya is _gone."_ The Feudal Lord observed the sudden muscle spasm in Naruto's jaw and awaited his inevitable response. "Like you, his words were strong; passionte, but were words alone enough to save him?" Naruto glanced askance, wounded by those words the scars tore open all over again. And _still _the Damiyo pressed him with questions he could not bear to answer. "They weren't were they?" Naruto cringed, and for a moment, Hinata wanted to sweep the Namikaze into her arms and wipe all that pain away. It would be so easy, too easy. With every fiber of her being she willed herself to remain static.

_'Naruto-kun..._

Yes, she could heal those wounds. Yes, she would comnfort him. And yes, she wanted to behead the damiyo and punt his head across the room, but she bid herself be silent. She forced her hands taut and steepled them beneath her chin, fixing her face into a mask of neutral dispostion. She felt her heart break as she forced her eyes to wtiness this ordeal, and Naruto's reaction. Incredibly, the room remained relatively intact despite the sudden outpouring of chakra and the sudden sound of offense. By then he'd already spun around and slammed a hand into the table, shattering it, and whatever else the Damiyo might have asked of him.

"I didn't mean to insult your teacher." The Damiyo offered a slow blink as Naruto and his fury hung over his head. "Namikaze Naruto."

Naruto growled.

"It's sad," He rumbled, scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his free hand. "How you've managed to anger me." Blue and white boiled black and violet as he turned the full might of his gaze upon that which had angered him. Unlike most, the damiyo didn't flinch away from the Rinnegan. Quite the contrary. Those half-lidded eyes of keen onyx and charcoal swiveled upon Namikaze Naruto with a deep and terrifying intensity, the likes of which he'd never before seen.

"And tell me, what will you do with that anger if Akatsuki threatens your loved ones?" The Damiyo seemed to be speaking of Hinata, though he'd never broke eye contact with the baleful blond looming over him. "They may not be able to reach you now, but can you say the same of your friends, your family?" Naruto's eyes turned small and angry within these words. They widened without warning as he straightened, a low and furious hiss leaving his lips.

"I'd protect them, of course!"

"Just as Jiraiya died protecting you." The Damiyo countered suavely. "And he wasn't even the hokage, was he?"

"You don't need to remind me, old man." Naruto snapped back; harsh and flinty despite the muffled gasps that filled the room to the brim with disbelief. "I know Pervy Sage isn't coming back. I know he won't ever come back, no matter how strong I become. But if you think he's been _forgotten_, then you've got the ass-kicking of a lifetime coming your way, just like the Akatsuki! I made a promise to him and I don't go back on my word! I _will _break this chain of hatred! With or without the rank of Hokage, you son of a bitch!"

"Naruto!" Shikaku made to rise from his seat. "You're taking things too-**!" **

The Damiyo had thrust a hand out for silence.

"That's your answer, then?" He asked; stonily. "Namikaze Naruto?" Naruto jerked his head forward and Hinata felt her heart swell, quivering her chest in the wake of his answer. Naruto's face, twisted by disgust and disbelief, dissolved into the reckless smile she'd so adored throughout the years. There was no glob of fruious saliva spat upon the face of their feudal lord. Instead there was an infinite moment of silence as that grin spread to his whiskered cheeks and reached his eyes.

"Fuck yes it is!"

"You'd better fucking believe it, buddy." Naruto jerked a thumb towards his chest. "I'll protect all of them, beat the Akatsuki, and create peace while I'm doing it!" He remained that way for sometime, a trickle of confidence and arrogance leaking through that defiant expression of pearly whites. Now, the silence had become all but deafening. Why was it that the Feudal Lord was smiling now? Surely if he'd had any reason to smile it would be because-

"Well, that is very good to know."

Suddenly, and without warning, he unfolded his fan, the swiftness behind this action surprising them all. "Naruto-kun, you'll make a fine Hokage, don't you all agree?" Slowly, the stunned silence began to fade, replaced by annoyance, recognition, and then outright amusement. It wasn't long at all before Naruto found himself staring at a sea of smiling faces, Hinata's and others amongst them as they began to comprehend what he and apparently Danzo Shimura could not.

_"Eh?" _Naruto blinked rapidly. "W-Wait a second, weren't we just talking about...Ero-Senin?"

_"Yes-yes-yes, _and a most splendid chat it was that we had." The Daimyo waved his fan, swift to silence Danzou's choking protest when he too, came to terms with this unexpected upheaval. "I'm sorry Danzou, but Naruto-kun's made a most wonderful point to me just now."

Naruto forced a deep bow.

"I-I won't let you down, sir."

"Very well." The Damiyo folded shit his fan and pointed toward Naruto with it, a gesture of fond affection. "Naruto-kun! I've made up my mind! I hereby appoint you as Sixth Hokage." Naruto wanted to yell and scream and shout, but all he could do was smile. Smile, as Danzou was left away in defeat, smile as Hinata squeezed his hand, and smile as he was presented with the title he'd been chasing for what felt like forever.

"This meeting is dismissed!" The Damiyo snapped his fan shut, and suddenly, the room was a whirlwind of emotion and motion for Naruto. "All of you, shoo! There's work to be done!" Naruto mumbled his thanks to all those that streamed out of the room, and then he found himself being led away, tugged outdoors by Hinata as he struggled to accept what he'd just been told.

_He was the Hokage._

"I'm the Hokage." He said it aloud, repeating them, tasting them, the words over his tongue. "I. Am. The. Rokudaime. Hokage." The words were foreign to him, and they left a strange and sickly sweet taste in his mouth. Speaking them seemed to give him power, andhe would have said it a third time, but for Hinata's hand on his shoulder. He didn't know why it was that he swept himself around and kissed her breathless, only that he did; because a deafening silence of another sort greeted him from the Konoha camp.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata murmurred, leaned away to peck him upon the cheek. "Everyone's staring."

"Naturally." He said, wounded, but grinning.

"My deepest apologies, Hokage-sama." One of the nine Anbu _-he'd no idea where they'd been hiding- _was suddenly beside them. "But I'd like to remind you of Raikage-sama's messengers." Naruto didn't seem to recall anything about a messenger, hence the reasonthe fox-masked Anbu chose to elaborate. "They'll likely be within our borders soon." Naruto began to wonder what they wanted him to do about it before he suddenly remembered, he was the hokage.

Hundreds upon hundreds would be looking to him to lead them in Baa-chan's abscence. He spared glance for Hinata, and abruptly, a more pressing need presented itself.

"R-Right, then. We make for Konoha at daybreak." Naruto forced some authority into his voice; surprised by how easily it came. "That's all for now. Leave us." Amazingly, the woman complied, leaving a grey and violet afterimage of her armor and her hair as she returned to wherever she'd been hiding. Naruto watched her for all of an instant, and then he stole for glance Hinata. She blinked, blushing at him and all those opened mouths gawping and eyes gazing at then him and she could already feel his hands moving into the seals even before he'd flung his arms behind Hinata and started making seals-

_"Jinton: Mueishō."_

Naruto and Hinata blurred for a moment, flickered, really, and the next they'd reappeared they were outside and alone. Naruto, only slightly winded by the running, still looked as though he'd explode if he didn't get his chance to shout at the top of his lungs. Which of course, being Namikaze Naruto, was exactly what he did...

"I'M THE HOKAGE!"

Naruto whooped loudly and Hinata squealed in delight as he swung her around by the hips, flinging her into a vicious revolution that put the Kaiten to shame. She pulled at him and it was a gentle pull that he succumbed to. She laughed; it was a soft, whispery sound. Naruto loved it. He loved her. He loved the way she said the words he'd always wanted to hear her say, how she loved him how she respected him, acknowledged him, and whispered softly into his ear...

"Congratulations, Hokage-sama."

Naruto shuddered.

_'I never thought I'd hear her call me that..._

Those words were sweet but oh, Hinata was so much sweeter. She was also faster this time. Even as Naruto fought the immediate and ever present urge to kiss her breath away, she moved. Soft and softer still, she crushed her lips against him; crushing his resitance in kind. She was beautiful in that kimono, and it took all he had not to peel it away and keep his fingers clenched into claws around her hips, but somehow he managed.

_'This...just too good to be true..._

Gods, if his life got any better than this...

...what would happen when it got worse?

"**A/N: KAGE SUMMIT STARTS NEXT CHAPPY AND WE GET TO SEE TEAM SAMUI!**


	3. Sinister Succession

_**A/N: First, a moment of silence. For all those in japan that have lost their lives to the tsunami and earthquake that has devastated the northeastern coast, and all those left to carry on in their stead and searh for survivors. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this terrible cataclysm. I know that words alone cannot express their grief, their pain, their loss, or all the families that are suffering there now, but may they find peace in the afterlife, for those of you who believe, and those that don't.**_

_**All those who have suffered...our hearts our thoughts and our prayers go out to you.**_

_**...**_

_**Well, I suppose I should start writing, then**_

_**This is DIRECTLY after Pain/Nagato's defeat, DIRECTLY as Naruto comes home and everyone welcomes him back. HOWEVER, I was not at all satisfied by watching the episode, and welll, I wont spoil anything else for you guys and gals, so read the fic, curl up with a pillow, snack, or whatever while you read, and enjoy this fluffy, funny, fucking AWESOME ficlet guaranteed to bring each of you a much needed smile in these difficult times! Also, as a side note, I have changed some things. Naruto was gone for the full extend of his training trip, not just two and half years, he was gone for three. THREE! Second, and a minor change, regarding Hiashi and Hanabi not being present in Konoha, and also her age has been upped and for those who wonder the academy graduation age has been pushed up to FOURTEEN? Hope ya'll like, cuz listening to naruto ost while writing this...REALLY GOT ME UP AND GOING IN MY WRITINGS!**_

_**Reviews=creativity=chapters!**_

_(Sinister Succession)_

_"Lady Hokage is in a coma?"_

Shizune regarded the one who had spoken with thinly veiled annoyance. Pale in both stature and figure; regal, even, she carried herself with confidence and a self assuredness dangerously bordering on outright arrogance. Granted, she was simply a messenger, delivering a message, as most runners would; but unlike most women, the kunoichi invoked an emotion Shizune had seldom felt, let alone expressed toward anyone since her younger days.

Jealousy.

Humorously enough, her student wore a similair expression. Shizune forced the emotion from her face, hoping that her apprentice would get the message and comply. She tried to bite her tongue, she really did, but in the end, Hanabi Hyuuga proved herself to be every bit Hiashi's daughter.

"Are you tone deaf, woman?"

"Excuse me?" Samui blinked, as thoug she'd just now noticed the girl; despite the offended Hyuuga being well within , she'd alsto interrupted Hanabi's medical training; ruining what little time she had left to hone her skills before the time of . Despite a warning glance from her mentor, remained nonplussed.

"Wow," Her apprentice rolled those pale eyes of lavender and pearl, disdain oozing from her every pore. "So you _do _have brain after all, big-tits." Shizune ravished her student with a baleful glare that even shinobi of Tsunade-sama's calibre knew, and feared. Hanabi didn't budge. Defiance roared high in those iriseless eyes, demanding respect and understanding and receiving none. Hyuuga Hanabi was every bit as stubborn as Uzumaki Naruto; but unlike the blond, she had all the arrogance of her father and only a bit of her mother's common sense to point her in the right direction.

This, then, was the same girl?

"Hanabi!" Moritifed, Shizune brought the full weight of her disbelief _-and a bit of killing intent- _crashing down upon her student. "Apologize this instant!" Her response should have been expected, given all that she'd been through within the last week. Not seven days ago, she'd been at death's door; having attacked Hiashi Hyuuga for what she'd then believed to be the death of an daring and decent shinobi, one who hadn't deserved such a cruel end.

Hanabi _scoffed _at the mere mention of an apology.

_"Apologize to her?" _Shizune cursed her carlessness; because her apprentice was the first to find her voice. "She disrespected Tsunade-sama! I refuse to apologize for putting her in her place!_" _With an indignant _"Hmmph!"_ she folded her arms and shook her head in outright defiance of her master's wishes. Shizune resisted the urge to usher the girl from the tent; because that would be the absolute worse sign of weakness in the prescence of a foreign emissary.

Mercy but the girl could be a vindictive little thing!

Abashed by this, yet another of her student's trantrums, Shizune wondered_-and not for the first time-_why she'd taken the girl under her wing to begin with. Initially, she'd suspected Hanabi wanted an alterior motive for lack of training, said motive being the indefatigable desire to surpass her sister and claim a certain blond shinobi for herself. Ever since Naruto had been ushered away by Black Ops, she'd become fiercely fiercely competitive in that aspect.

_Damn but she was stubborn._

Hyuuga never asked, they only took. And this was Hiashi's daughter, who'd prostrated herself before Shizune and all but begged for the training. Shizune couldn't remember why she'd ushered Hanabi inside, only that she had; because Hanabi Hyuga had progressed in leaps and bounds after the healing of her severed tenketsu points. Shizune had warmed to the little spiitfire somehow, despite her tempestuous hissy fits and the occasional temper tantrum.

Despite all of that, free from her father's lingering influence, the spoiled daughter of Hiashi had opened up. In more ways than one. She gave had ever thought to be possible, revealing the lonely little girl trapped inside the body a young woman's body, one who'd never known the loving care of a parent.

Shizune was far from adequate mother material.

She'd never thought of settling down; there simply wasn't enough time once she'd started traveling with Tsunade-sama. Thoughts such as these were for the young; she doubted she could even have a child now, old as she was becoming. And yet, each time she laid eyes on the child, every time she'd been able to coax a smile, a laugh, or any other sentiment from the normally reclusive Hyuuga, she viewed it as another small triumph in the recovery of someone who was swiftly becoming much more than a patient in her life.

Relevant though all that was, Shizune was also starting to doubt her new apprentice. Suddenly, she wasn't quite so sure Hanabi had made a full recovery. Looking at her now, how could anyone see what the child was going through? How could they possibly see what she'd suffered, was _still _suffering, bearing scars of psychogical torment so deep that she'd had to fight tooth and nail and claw to make what little progress this far, just to return to active duty?

This only earned a rolling of the eyes.

"My apologies." The foreigner waved their concerns aside with a shake of her head. "I did not mean to offend you, little one."

_"Little?" _Hanabi snapped back, incensed beyond consolation. "Who are _you_, to call _me,_ little!"

_'Who are you indeed.'_ Shizune wondered, taking in the bemused blonde's features:

Blond tresses framed a young, yet stern face from which twin orbs of piercing sapphire shone. Curious. With all the aformentioned features and her overlagrge breasts, this woman could easily pass for a blue-eyed Tsunade. Save for three things. The first, being that her no-nonsense attitude chafed against Shizune's frayed nerves. Second, her two companions, whom could already be heard bickering outside, were of a kind that Tsunade-sama would never associate herself with. And the third, being that she bore the _Kumogakure _hitiate strapped to her left thigh. But that was not to where her gaze strayed, even as Hanabi took offense to Samui's deflection.

Shizune was gazing at the folded letter the woman clutched in her right hand. A summons from the Raikage himself? What on earth could it mean, at a time like this? Most had been led to assume that Naruto and most of the other jonin had been sent out on differenst missions, of some sort. Beside her, Hanabi, who hadn't a clue, glowered. Just who was this Kumogakure woman?, Who did think she was entering unannounced? Why now, of all times, during her medical training, no less! Frustration flecking across her face, the young Hyuuga considered fliping the intruder a dual one-fingered salute, until she realized her left arm was still wrapped in a sling; leaving the effort of attemtping such a technique reddened and shamefaced.

Damnitall, she _hated _this confounded thing!

"My...apologies." Shizune spared Hanabi Hyuuga one final admonishing glare, and her pupil became silenced. "This has been a trying time for us all, as you can see. But be that as it may, I am her aide, so I will accept the letter on Tsunade-sama's behalf."

The foreigner wasn't having any of it.

"If it's uncertain when she will regain conciousness, then the interim Hokage will suffice." Samui remained vehement, obviously ready to end the debate. She already knew that Lord Raikage would not tolerate anyone other than the Hokage where this letter was concerned. That being said, she knew that she had absolutely no desire to mince words any longer; a few minutes of worhtless bantering doesn't simply sway a loyal soldier away from her task. She could tell from the look in her fellow kunoichi's eyes that there was already bad blood between Konoha and the Akatsuki. Once they opened that letter, she knew there would be even more upheaval.

"Someone must read the letter and give me a reply post-haste! Raikage-sama cannot be made to wait any-

"Speak with me then, if you must." A firm voice boomed from just outside the tent. "But _do not_ harass my subordinates."

"Who-

"You shall speak with _me."_ The voice repeated from beyond the tent; flinging the flap forth, exposing the most unlikely of faces. "That woman lying there, is no longer the Hokage." Nonplussed by what she thought to be yet another delay, she didn't even look at them; composing her face into a mask of rigid restraint as the light of day pierced the veil of darkness; subsuquently obliterating the gloom, revealing just who this loud and brash individual really was.

Samui was stricken.

_"Oh..._

She was speechless; suddenly she couldn't breathe.

_...dear.'_

There were two of them, a young man and a woman.

Naturally, she drawn to the woman first; because this was a woman in every sense of the word.

She was extraordinary.

Midnight blue hair shone brightly in the sunlight as it cascaded down her back, framing a flawless face from which twin orbs of pale and pearly brilliance shone. Her skin was the color of cream, radiating warmth and contentment. Wrapped in a white yukata she smelled faintly of lavender; the very same shade as her eyes. Large, but not too large, her curves rounded off in all the right places, lending a hourglass figure to this woman who exceeded Samui in all things, chakra included. She exuded massive amounts of the stuff, the spiritual energy forcing Samui to reasses her initial evaluation of what she'd thought to be a harmless escort, not a shinobi with reserves rivalling that of a Tailed Beast. Beautiful and strange; captivating, this was a woman amongst women. Matchless in beauty; serene in her speech, delicate in her smile, and oh-so-wonderful in her prescence.

She was _not _the one who'd spoken.

"Naru...erm..._Hokage-sama,"_ She paused and corrected herself before speaking to the one on whose arm she remained looped, only the softest of stammers marring her voice_-but for that she would've been perfect-_much to Samui's consternation. "You can't speak your mind like you used to, remember what Kakashi-sensei said?" Evidently, his muffled reply was enough to make her cease tugging this sleeve of his; a scarlet flush adjourning her cheeks as she glanced askance.

_'Hokage?' _

"Crap, I keep forgetting about that!" Samui still couldn't see his face, but an amused chuckled answered this thought. "I've still got to get a handle on this Kage business, huh?"

With renewed scrutiny, Samui turned her gaze to the newcomer, ignoring the woman at his side. Standing beside the bodaceous babe was possbily _the _most gorgeous man in existence, and also one of the strangest beings she'd ever encountered. He cleared the threshold as she blinked, marking his entry with silence; soundless in his approach. Not even a whisper, not when his sandals greeeted the earth. Samui strained to detect some sort of sound; any indication of life from him, as he moved arm in arm with the woman, made all the more intimidtating despite the fact that Samui couldn't sense the slightest modicum of chakra from him.

Shizune gawped.

_'Don't tell me they made him hokage after all..._

Whomever he was, the blond now commanded Samui's complete and undivided attention. She detected a flash of blond from beneath the Kage hat, roughened locks shading rimmed violet sclera and dull irises. Without even turning in her direction, made the man smiled, the anger leaching the severity of his gaze. Quizzical, those matchless orbs of blue and violet locked upon Samui. There was not a hint of hostility in this gaze, attempting to reason out why someone from the Hidden Cloud would be here, and why she wanted to speak with him.

"I am the Rokudaime Hokage." He announced abruptly; cutting her short, all business once again. "If you have a problem, then let us speak of it as allies, not enemies." The words sounded forced, but she couldn't restrain a smile when she saw how hard the lad was trying to fill the shoes left for him.

"But if you'd rather stir the flames of chaos...

Only _then _did she notice the Anbu escort. There were nine of them within the tent, each ready to strike at a moment's of which were immediately visible. One, a stocky looking man whose very build easily dwarfed everyone in the tent. Broad and built like a tree, he wore an ox mask across his face to shelter his visage; but not the huge sleaver he wore at his back. Then there was the matter of the second Anbu; a thin and willowy woman with intense violet hair that might've put her in league with the Hyuuga; but for the fox mask obscurring her beauty.

If they were at all astounded by the apparent lack of chakra coming from their liege, they did precious little to show it. Which led Samui to believe that he did have chakra, she just couldn't sense it. But what could that possibly mean? Was he suppressing it somehow? With a seal of some sort? No, she'd still notice some manner of restraint, were that the case. But the blond was smiling, absolute and imperturpable in his reckless grin.

_'Why is it that I cannot sense any chakra?'_ Samui remained riveted where she stood, still fixated upon the erstwhile blond. _'Maybe if he were suppressing his power I'd notice, but even then, surely I'd detect some measure...some measure of his power...wouldn't I?'_

The Hokage smiled thinly.

_"Why so serious?"_ He dusted his robes of red and black prompting further inspection of his attire. "Surel you have something to say to me?" Samui forced her thoughts to the blackest corner of her mind and returned what was a charming gaze, noting his outlandish and unsual garb; lest she ponder just how much chakra the kage was really hiding behind that deafening void that defied her senses.

_'Just who are you, Rokudaime Hokage?'_

Like most kage, he was garbed in the traditional garments of red and white. That was where the simlarities met a violent end. Garbed as most Kage were, his colors clashed horrifically. He'd forsaken it for a red coat embroidered with black flames and a large scroll slung across his back. Draped over the ceremonial garment of white and pale crimson, she saw the rimmed collar of mesh suit and gray-green flack jacket that suggested he was at least Jonin in rank. Complimented by black slacks and like colored sandals, this man projected an aura of supreme confidence rivaling even Lord Raikage's, and just as flawlessly.

"Kawai!" Karui squealed delightedly! "Nobody told me Konoha's Hokage was such a hottie!"

Everyone noticed a small spike of killer intent flowering from the woman on the Hokage's arm. Shattered, the tension fell around them in paper thin hairline fractures, littering the floor, forcing Samui to step lightly as she considered her next response.

"Why, thank you."

And of course, she found herself staring at his face again.

"I'm flattered, really." The Rokudaime Hokage pulled the hat aside, exposing a whiskered face from which rimmed and violet eyes shone. Removed, he exposed a rough mop of blond hair, hanging in his eyes and face as though it had any chance of shielding those terrifying eyes from her gaze. Samui froze, oblivious to Karui's fawning over this fellow. Those eyes! There was no mistaking them, despite all the rumors and myths. Whomever he was, he possesed the Rinnegan! How was that possible? Just who was this Sixth Hokage? He didn't look a day over twenty, and _that _was being generous. Yet he held himself with all the practiced poise of one who'd held his position and knew responsibilities the like of which she had yet to consider.

_'He's so...young! How on earth can he possibly posess those eyes? Unless..._

The thought sent a lance through her stomach, one that the Hokage remained utterly oblivious to.

"Now, I understand you've come here to do some busi-

He never had the chance to finish that sentence.

"Do I know you?" Hanabi asked; blunt in sudden inquisition, her gaze riveted upon the mysterious blond. "You look..._familair."_ Her gaze swept to the woman on his arm, and back to the man. Woman, man, woman again, recognition flaring in her eyes as she recognized the face of her elder sibling.

"You're looking well, Hanabi." She smiled_-gods even her voice was perfect-_dettached herself from the blond so that she might approach the befuddled Hyuuga. Hanabi recoiled. Her eyes widened to twice their sice, growing wide and large as they lingered upon that smiling face.

"Sister?" Hanabi blinked, her gaze momentarily straying from the regal attire; fixated upon her face. "W-Wait a second..!" Her eyes flickered from the blond to Hinata, trying to comprehend; desperate, and confused, feebly attempting to put two and two together.

"Then that is...

"Child, be silent or begone." Samui cut her off brusquely before the girl could suffer a mental breakdown. "I'm beginning to grow tired of your meaningless babble."

"M-Meaningles...!" Hanabi spluttered! "Now see here you irreverent sack of-

At her expression, which was at once wounded and peeved, the _hokage_ coughed into his hand and looked away to keep himself from laughing. When he looked up, Hanabi's expression had changed altogether and dramatically. Her eyes were bright and wide; swelling with tears and recognition. His smile crooked upward, gentle amusment twisting itself into a small smirk. There was a fragile half of a second of silence, then a small cry shattered it beyond recognition.

"It _is _you!" she said. "Naruto!"

Hanabi threw herself into his arms, knocking the delicate facade from his face and utterly smashing the tension as she hugged him. Hinata smiled. Samui was shocked into silence. Naruto looked at the two of them, aghast. Then he seemed to remember the young vixen who'd toppled him from his feet.

"You big oaf, hug me!" Hanabi said.

Naruto laughed and hugged her. Gods it felt good_-really really good-_to be hugged. She squeezed as hard as she could and he picked her up as he hugged her. He pretended to squeeze as hard as he could. She squeezed harder until he cried out for mercy. They laughed again_-they'd always hugged like that-_and he set her down, sweeping himself his feet in the same instant. Samui didn't know _what _to make of the sudden attack on his person; because this boy was the proving to defy her every assumption.

"Yo, Shizune." He raised his hand in an easy greeting; the picture of good health once again. "How's Baa-chan doing?"

"She's doing well, thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage." Shizune bowed, and Naruto bent to tousle Hanabi's hair for a second time. Laughing, she renewed the crushing vice upon him. Hinata was torn somewhere between a smile and a laugh as she struggled to maintain her composure. Naruto seemed to have abandoned his altogether she realized, as the besieged blond mussed Hanabi's hair in the yway they both knew she absolutely loathed.

Hanabi skulked for a moment before hugging him again.

_'Naruto-kun..._

"Hanabi, let the Rokudaime breathe," Shizune said, but she was smiling, and all of Hinata's worries were promptly obliterated. She wouldn't smile if Tsuande-sama's condition had worsened. _However _it remained to be seen how effortlessly she resumed control of the room with her words; despite knowing that Naruto had essentially gone from the frying pan to the fire as her replacement. "Its good to see you again, Hokage-sama." Her smile was genuine but her words were false; she was playing the part again.

_Brilliant._

Shinzune had forced the Kumogakure shinobi into a Catch Twenty-Two. Samui could call her bluff, or remain silent and accept the cards where they fell. Did she know the Hokage? Was the Rokudaime truly so outlandih that he regularly embraced his subbordinates? Suddenly Samui had the most intense impression of intense familiarity with the new Hokage almost, well, relieved. "Shall Hanabi-san be excused?" Significant though her words werre, Naruto noticed there was a some urgency in them, given that Samui still hadn't spoken after that little...outburst.

"Oh, don't make me go!" Hanabi pouted. "You just got back!"

"Um, yes." Naruto said, tousling her hair. "See you in a second, gaki."

"I don't want to go." Hanabi folded her arms and planted her feet. "I can stay, can't I sister?"

Hinata shrugged helplessly.

Shizune gave her a look and Hinata's sister wilted. She stomped her foot and marched out, leaving the room with awkwardness and silence as she all but slammed into Karui and Omoi as they lingered outside. Then they were alone. Naruto smiled gently toward the still flabbergasted Samui and watched the shock fade from her face as the seconds ticked by. Offering his hand, he reintroduced himself to the buxom blond. Given that she'd just seen the Rokudaime Hokage get tackled by a little girl, she was faring considerably better than most.

"Shall we resume introductions then?" Naruto offered, remembering that _women_ preferred to introduce themselves before men. He was spot on. Samui quirked an eyebrow, and he could see that she'd underestimated him at some point. _Good._ Those who were _underestimated _often rose to the pinacle of greatness. Now he saw his worth rise several nautical miles in her eyes as she spared him a quick once-for and locked him in place with a firm handshake.

"Samui of the Hidden Cloud." She said, and Naruto felt the fingers of his hand break as she tightened her hold. "I apologize for my lapse of concentration just now." Naruto retaliated with a handshake of his own; grinning as he had the satisfaction of watching Samui wince.

_'Ha!'_

Hinata quirked an eye at him.

_What?_ He looked back at her, abashed. _It's not like that._

_Sure,_ her small smile seemed to say; because the elbow in his ribs was anything but gentle this time. Reluctantly, Naruto released her hand. Somehow, Samui didn't burst out into anger as her strange mug, he observedthe tiny moue of pain that escaped Samui's lips; because she was still assauging her aching fingers when next he spoke.

"My name is Namikaze Naruto." He smiled for all those standing within. "My subordinates informed me of Lord Raikage's intention to convene a meeting, but they were..._vague."_ He offered a harmless shrug and backward glance toward a dumbstruck Karui as he entered the tent.

The silence was deafening.

"What's wrong?" He smiled pleasantly palm still extended, upright. "Doesn't Lord Raikage want a reply?"

Reluctantly, Samui bequeathed the missve to an Anbu, the latter immediately conducting an investigation upon the proffered leaflet. began to inspect it for any possible threat. Really, as if she'd come all the way just to kill their precious Hokage. When the man took quite a bit of t, however. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, equally surprised when the man began to conduct a thorough inspection of the and inspected it however, searching it for any sign of possible danger. Determining none to be found, the masked shinobi offered the letter to Naruto and bowed aside, allowing both Hyuuga and Namikaze to read the contents contained within.

_'Shit.'_

A muscle jumped in Naruto's jaw and his pleasantries withered with his mood.

Hinata felt likewise, watching his hands clench around the parchment. This shouldn't be possible. No, it wasn't! It shouldn't-no, it couldn't be! But it was. How did it come to this? Why hand't he come to his senses and come home already? How did it have come to this? Why had he fallen so far, so fast? How was it those of the Uchiha, always so indiscriminately arrogant when it came to achieving their goals, always caused their friends and families so much pain?

_Why do you keep hurting everyone, Sasuke?_

Hinata read all these emotions and more trapped within the eyes of her beloved. For a moment, Naruto looked as though he were going to explode. Remarkably, he smiled. Straightened, scarlet fleeing from his eyes as he exhaled with a wretched heaviness.

He jutted one finger outward, pointing toward an Anbu who'd inadertantly tensed upon catching a glimpse of the manuscript. Sheepish, the man came forward as his liege had beckoned. Naruto gave no more that a single sentence to the man; because no sooner had he finished his whispered command than the fellow dropped to a knee.

Samui blinked as the fellow faded out of existence with a simply body flicker.

"Sasuke," Naruto felt something wrench inside his gut as he read over the missive. "So it really came to this, huh?" Unfurling the letter, he handed it to one of the Anbu flanking him. His slate grey gaze fell upon Samui and her impatience like fire and brimstone; burning within an infinite sorrow and resignation.

"And your reply?" she asked.

Naruto forced himself to inhale and exhale, expunging his emotions. A snake wriggled into his stomach and strangled his guts, a snake of losing something whose value he couldn't even calculate. Was this what it felt like to lose hope? To watch your weakness wither, while your heart shriveled and blew away with the wind? It was the very same feeling he'd felt when he lost Ero-Senin, a man whose worth he had barely known.

_Damn but Sasuke was his friend._

**"The same friend who put a hole in your chest, if I recall correctly." **

Naruto rounded on the voice with all due vehemence.

_'I told you to shut up!'_

**"And I'm telling _you_ to open your eyes and see the truth." **Came the blackened retort.** "The Uchiha cannot be saved."**

_'I said be quiet!' _Naruto pushed at it; because the Kyuubi was pushing back with equal force._'Give me some peace and let me think, damnit!'_

**"I SHALL DO NO SUCH THING!" **The huge kitsune snapped back, its host momentarily cowed.** "NOT WHILE YOU DISCARD YOUR LIFE, LOVE AND HAPPINESS LIKE A FOOL!" **Naruto was about to snap off a witty retort of his own, but the words turned to ash in his throat and tasted like decades of dust on his tongue.

He flinched.

_'What the hell..._

Naruto swallowed his gorge before it could rise and realized in the same instant that Hinata had pressed a hand to his shoulder and squeezed softly. Naruto spared her a small smile, one he didn't feel in the slightest, but somehow, her prescence strengthened him. Naruto felt the world stretch before him, his thoughts of Sasuke fading to a infiniteismal pinprick of brilliance. He cursed his carelessness and he cursed himself for not noticing , even for an instant, , Sakura. I might not Looks like you've finally came to a head, Sasuke? He shook his head, banishing the last of his regrets.

"We will attend this conference." Naruto forced the words from his throat. "Is that everything, then?"

"I would also ask that you give us any neccessary information on Uchiha Sasuke." Samui finished, drawing the tent flap aside so that the three of them might exit. "As Hokage, I'm sure you understand, but allow me to clarify. Though the Uchiha is indeed a former shinobi of Konohagakure, there is no doubt of his crimes. You see, Uchiha Sasuke has also committed grievous crimes against Kumogakure, if the missive didn't already give enough information-

_"Just tell us already, damnit!"_

Naruto turned aside, puzzlement affixed to his face.

"I beg your pardon?"

He frowned, leering at the redhead who'd just fawned over him not too long ago. "

"Karui, now isn't-

"No, its alright." Naruto raised a hand for Samui; alllowing the tent flap to seal behind Hinata as she emerged behind him. "In case you aren't aware, I'm a jinchuuriki as well. I speak from experience when I say that Akatsuki _always _take jiinchuuriki alive, which means that the three of you are truly worried about your master." He paused, allowing the words to ferment, then soak. "There's a good chance that he's still alive. Right now, you need to concern yourself with him, understand?"

If Hinata was perplexed, then Karui was outright flabbergasted.

"But I didn't-

"There was no need." Naruto countered, taping a finger to his head. "These eyes are for more than show, you know. Your chakra spoke volumes for you." He brushed past them, Hinata following hard on his heels as he led Team Samui away from the tent. With every step, he felt his heart rip and tear, threatening to burst from his ribs given the slightest provocation. If not for Hinata's fingers, laced as they were within his own, he felt as though he would collpase at any moment.

_'Sasuke...I'll ask you myself.'_

He spared her a small squeeze, which in turned earned him a smaller smile.

"This way." Naruto smile was false, his words dead, his tone hubris. "I'll tell you everything there is to know about Sasuke. But first, there's something I need to show you."With those words, he sealed the fate of himself and thousands of lives, four of which were rapidly drawing closer at this very moment...

_(Meanwhile/Nearing the outskirts of Konoha)_

He had every right to hate them.

All of them.

Each and every one of them.

"Hey, Sasuke."

**"!"**

The members of Taka found themselves coming to a stumbling, staggering halt as the air ruptured before them. Somehow, Sasuke managed to avoid the ensuing entanglement. Unfortunately, Juugo and Suigetsu weren't quite so fortunate, and neither was Karin.

_"Nrgh!"_

The aspiring swordsman grunted as the kunoichi slammed into his back and offset his balance. Hie tripped, his head kissed an iron-hard root and black spots swam before his vision for a moment. _Then_ and only then did Juugo stumble half a step forward; smacking hinto Karin, with a muffled apology; sending all three members of Taka tumbling down in an awkward heap of arms and legs and muffled curses, something that would have elicited a small sigh from Sasuke once; mayhaps a smile, even.

_'Idiots.'_

No less than three feet away; manifesting itself upon a thick bough of a branch, something took shape and reclaimed a humanoid form. Emanating from a single black dot, it began spreading apart at the end. Swirling around a series of fine, spiraling lines, it bent inward; because something on the other side of this miniature black hole was distorting reality itself.

Bearing witness to the surreal scene, Sasuke tsked in annoyance.

_'This guy again..._

Karin blinked.

"I suddenly sensed his chakra...what's going on here?'

"Aw man," Suigetsu moaned. "Bad timing."

"How did you know where to find me?" Uchiha Sasuke glowered darkly at the masked man who barred their path. Once more, at the cusp of victory, of taking revenge for all the ills Konoha had done to him and Itachi, Sasuke was blocked.

"Don't underestimate me." Madara warned. "I have considerable powers."

"So what do you want with me now?" Sasuke grunted, pushing down his anger before it could consume him again. "Taka left the Akatsuki." He pressed finality into the words, hoping that the masked Uchiha would realize that he had no further interest in working alongside him. "We're done with you." Madara remained impassive as each member of Taka reluctantly straightened from their crouches, realizing that the would not be able to pass just yet.

Sasuke waited for him to accept his words; to yield and stand aside.

Madara wasn't having any of it.

"As it stands, you _reneged_ on your promise to me, Sasuke."

_"What?"_

Sasuke looked as though he'd just been told he'd lost most of his fanbase.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke looked as he usually did, but for the tight clenching of the fist.

"I'm talking about hunting a tailed beast." Madara replied. "

"B-But we already caught the Eight-Tails and delivered it to you!" Karin protested.

"That was just a substitution. In other words, you guys failed." Madara said. "Looks like the Eight Tails pulled a fast one on you."

**"!"**

_'Damnit!'_ Sasuke abruptky remembered the only limb he'd severed from Killer Bee's body. _'The only part I cut off..._

"Frankly, I'm dissapointed in you all." Feigned or no, it was definitely dissapointment etched into that voice behind the porcelain. "You promised to deliver, but you only made fools of yourselves." More than a minute passed, the tension threatening to suffocate the more talkative Suigetsu before he finally had to break that deafening void.

"Whoa there, what're you going to do?" Suigetsu eyed the Akatsuki leader warily. "It's none of our business now."

_"Wrong." _Madara countered_. _"You will finish whatever work you started as members of the Akatsuki." Crimson crept across Sasuke's sight as the Akatsuki leader continued to prattle on and on without so much as a care in the world. "Having said that, you can forget about going after the Eight tails. I've decided to give you a different task. You'll be going after the Kyuubi, instead." Despite all he had done to eradicate that last flicker of humanity, Sasuke stil felt a stab of ice into his chest at the mentiion of the blonde's name.

"And if I refuse?" Sasuke spat.

"We'll fight it out right here." Madara replied. "And you won't be able to go to Hidden Leaf Village."

The sudden chirping of birds filled the air.

"Then we'll force our way through!" Sasuke was suddenly before him; the Chidori drilling through Madara's chest...and slipping right through that chest. Sasuke felt a strange numbness settle over his shoulders as he simply phased into and out of Madara, without so much as a flicker of resistance from the man's suddenly incorporeal form. There was no counter. There was no resistance. Sasuke had passed through him as though he were just that; a incorpereal spectre.

_A ghost._

"It's a little too late to go to the Hidden Leaf." Madara remained nonchalant as Sasuke bolted through him. Sasuke launched himself backwards in a flying retreat, prepared for an attack. And yet there was only silence as he landed on a nearby branch.

_'I went right through him. Just like before. Is that his power?'_

"Your purpose is fruitless. Too bad." Madara didn't even feign surprise, nor did he turn as Sasuke passed through.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke straightened, despite his suddenly labored breathing.

"The Village Hidden in the Leaves is no more." Madara countered. "It has _already_ been destroyed."

"W-What're you saying?" Karin gawped. "There's no way it just-

_**"I'll explain it to you."**_

A strange, rippling, crackling sound emerged from the branch upon which he stood.

"Who is he?" Karin leered.

"Relax." Madara assauged the disgusted kunoichi. "He's my partner." Regardless of his asss Karin felt her gorge rise; ruthlessly surpressed it as the hideous creature emerged from the bough; simply by dragging itself out of the bark and into the afternoon with a great and terrible slothful groan. He hung there, perched atop the branch, unmoving. The slightest of undulations trembled his frame, a gross and perverse shudder of a shiver as a halved visage poked through.

**"..."**

"So who is the new Hokage?" Madara inquired, riveted to Sasuke despite the death-defying sight of Zetsu's emergence from the branch itself. "Was it who we expected?" There was but the faintest of beats between the silence as the plant-creature paused, then offered a deep and rumbling rasp of a voice from its lipless mouth:

**...no."**

"Who, then?" Madara tilted his head aside. "Kakashi Hatake?"

**...nope."**

"Then who _is _the Rokudaime Hokage?" Slightly perturbed by Zetsu's fearfulness, Madara turned to face his partner. "It has to be someone competent, surely." Zetsu seemed to fidget within his cocoon like collar for a moment longer, realizing that he had to be the bearer of bad news. "They must be powerful, to have you in such a tizzy." Stirring, Zetsu reluctantly opened the Venus Fly-Trap apparatus and revealed his humanoid form, and the fretful face within.

_**"...it's Uzumaki Naruto." **_He admitted.

Madara couldn't help himself.

He snorted.

_'That bufoon? They truly must be desperate.'_

"Naruto? This Naruto guy defeated Pain all by himself? Juugo asked. "I'd heard he fought Kimimaro-dono at one point, but...

"That's right, he's become extremely strong." Zetsu oozed arrogance and admiration; the disgusting mixture of respect and hatred enough to make even Sasuke's skin crawl. "At this point, I think he's even stronger than you are right now, Sasuke-kun."

_That struck a chord._

"Naruto...is the Hokage?" Sasuke repeated dumbly.

Madara only smiled.

"Yes, your former friend has now become the Rokudaime Hokage." Madara spoke as though _they_ were old friends, discussing something as trivial as the weather. In reality, he took this opportunity to fan the flames of hatred in Sasuke's heart. "Seems he was finally able to fufill that dream of his, somehow." He painted dissapointment into his voice. "Looks like he's surpassed you yet again, Sasuke."

_Oh, how the young Uchiha twitched!_

Fury etched itself into his every feature, distorting that which was good and handsome; reducing it to an ugly fascimile of its former self. Hands curled into claws, then closed into trembling fists. When it seemed that Sasuke could take no more, when it seemed that he would explode; he exhaled. For a moment Sasuke looked like he still might, such were the roiling black flames of hate; seething and boiling behind those black and souless obsidian orbs.

Remarkably, he didn't combust.

_'Too bad,'_ Madara mused. '_He's not so easily used after all.'_

"What the lell happened in the Hidden Leaf Village?" Sasuke inquired softly; not a trace of his rage to be seen in this sudden lapse of his hatred. Madara didn't need to look over at Sasukie to know he was attempting to burn a hole into his skull with his eyes; he could actually _feel _the look he was giving him from across the branch. He kept _meaning_ to tell her the boy that he was his a pawn and was little more that a scrificial piece in the end...

He just kept forgetting about that last part, was all.

_"Answer me!"_

"My subordinate, Pain, destroyed the Hidden Leaf." Madara supplied with a joviality he didn't at all feel. "And because both you and Pain were a bit too overbearing, it seems the five kage are going to take action against the Akatsuki." Well, that was partly true. The Five Kage had yet to even convene, and it was increasingly likely that none of them knew who the Rokudaime was, as of yet. Therefore this was the best opportunity to seize the Kyuubi, while its host was under minimal guard.

"The Five Kage?" Sasuke repeated dumbly."

"There will be a Five Kage Conference." Madara explained, gesturing toward Zetsu. "And as the Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto will be there."

Zetsu rumbled.

**"I'll explain from here."**

"I don't care about that. My main concern is this Five Kage Sumit." Sasuke snarled. "If the Hokage is under a light guard, then we can only assume now would be the best chance to rob the Hidden Leaf of their leader.

"So what should we do?" Suigetsu groaned. "If Konoha's destroyed and we don't have a target, what does this Five Kag Sumit have to to with-

Karin frowned.

"W-What? Am I wrong?"

"No, you're right, actually." All eyes turned, falling upon a brooding Uchiha Sasuke. "Taka has sworn revenge on the Hokage. As Hokage, Naruto is our target. We, Taka, will take the Hokage's head at the five kage summit ans we will make every attempt to capture him; alive. We're changing our destination." He didn't even pause for breath. The statement hung there, unadorned between Taka and the Akatsuki, leaving to Madara to ultimately solidify the suggestiong with an answer of his own.

"Sounds like a plan." he offered. "Are you really willing to attack your friend then, Sasuke?"

"He isn't my friend." Sasuke rumbled. "The moment he became Hokage, Naruto inherited my vengeance."

"Sounds good! Zetsu chimed eerily, his other half chiming in immediately thereafter. _**"I'll lead you there."**_

Karin glowered, even as Zetsu offered to lead the way. One disgusting separation later, and she along with what remained of her lunch, had set out. In actuality, she just wanted to call it a day. Gods, that was disgusting! What kind of shinobi could just split himself in half like that? And now they'd be confronting the nine-tails, after barely surviving their battle with the Hachibi? Things just got worse and worse the longer she stayed around these idiots!

_'This is becoming a huge pain in the ass..._

_Madara watched them go, no longer smiling._

_**"All is proceding as planned... **_Black Zetsu tittered softly.

"Not everything." Madara steepled his hands and exhaled heavily. "Nagato's Samsara of Heavenly Life technique was supposed to be used on me. I never thought he'd waste it like that to betray me. Even if Sasuke should become stronger than Nagato, its meaningless if he can't be controlled. It will be awhile before I consider letting him synchronize with the Gedou Mazou as he is now. We need to keep an eye on him before I steal the Rinnegan back from Amegakure."

_**"So you had contingent plans in case Nagato died...**_

"Somewhat." Madara admitted. "However, its certainly not what I had in mind."

He turned his gaze toward the skies.

"Now then, I suppose its time...

"Time?" Zetsu asked, there was no mistaking the eagerness in his voice."

"It's time to begin the Moon's Eye Plan."

* * *

**A/N: GODS I HATE MADARA! HAAAAATE! JUST LOOK WHAT HE MADE ME DO TO SASUKE IN THIS CHAPPY T_T! YES, NARUTO HAS NAGATO'S EYES, IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, WHICH MEANS, HEHEHE NO RINNEGAN FOR MADARA-TEME! The jinton isn't Minato's and I know that but I figured, hey, I'd go for originiality. Naruto is head over heels for Hinata. YUP. Hanabi, erm, I am not so much sure, but hey, why not give him two Hyuuga Babes instead of one, now that he whipped that baka of a Hyuuga out the door! ALSO! LETS SEE HERE. KYUUBI, MASSIVE CHAKRA, WIND ELEMENT, RINNEGAN, SWIFT RELEASE, AND YOU REALLY THINK I'D LET HIM BE A GENIN?**

**KAGE SUMMIT ARC BEGINS NEXT CHAPPY! You'll never guess who Naruto's bodyguards will be...**


	4. Summit of Heroes Part I

**A/N: AHAHAHAHA! Beyond the Shadows has returned! After many, many MANY months, I have resumed writing this wonderful fic! Epicness abounds in this chapter, as we FINALLY kick off the very begginings of the Kage Summit! Please excuse the fillers but they are neccessary! I'm so glad that all of you still enoy this wonderful fic enough to review it, and I thank you all for the inspiration to continue! Now, after many, many MANY months of nothingness, I give to you, for your viewing entertainment...**

**...THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**A Summit of Heroes (Part I)**

_"Seriously? _

Shikamaru received the news with a bit more tact than his former teammates. Ino's mouth moved mutely through the words for a moment; then they were deafened by a enthused shout of relief and exhileration. Chouji loosed an equally loud whoop at the same time that Ino performed her little _jump-and-yelp_ and left the Nara's ears ringing. They were both laughing at the announcement; because nothing could even begin to describe the Nara's reaction.

If he'd had any reaction at all, it was when he blinked.

"Naruto's the hokage?"

"My apologies." The Anbu pulled himself from a knee before the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio and straightened. "But I have been told to deliver this message to the whole of the village. I must be going, now if you wouldn't mind." Not that he _did _mind but the troublesome Anbu was already using the Body Flicker technique by the time he'd thought to pose the obvious question. Thusly, Shikamaru Nara found himself staring at an empty swirl of leaves and wondering _why the hell that guy was suddenly their new Rokudaime Hokage?_

"What a troublesome guy." Shikamaru yawned fretuflly. "He'll never let me live this down...

"YOSH!"

At this rate neither would his ears!

"Damnit, Lee!"

Shikamaru swore beneath his breath as bone-chillingly shout "youthful" shout of enthusiasm exploded into the air behind him. Most of the Jonin did well to keep their expressions neutral. After all, they had unanimously chosen the new hokage and it wouldn't do to show hesitation now that news of his return had come.

As far was most shouts went, Rock Lee's enthused cry rose in stark contrast to that of the Rookie Nine. Technicall, they were now the Rookie Seven, due the unexpected loss of Naruto and subsuquent instatement of Hinata as advisor to their sixth hokage. But for all his glee of their newly appointed Rokudaime, Lee failed to notice the eerie silence that had fallen over his fellow chunin. The remainder of Team Gai smiled, but it was a forced smile; masking the disbelief within.

_'Mendoukse!' _The Nara grumbled to himself.

Tenten, for lack of a better word, looked queasy. Neji looked like he'd just had a rasengan shoved down his throat. Team Kurenai_-minus Hinata-_were both thrilled and nonplussed at the same time. Shino had his face hidden from the world by that damnable hood and collar of his; but Inuzuka Kiba grinned recklessly, one of the few genuine smiles amidst the otherwise dour group. Sakura was staring off into the distance, too stricken for words; unable to staunch the thick tears spilling from her face. The Nara knew all too well why she wept, but he turned his gaze ever onward and toward the remaining members of the rookie nine.

Sai was flipping through his book as though he might be able to find a suitable reaction there.

And of course, Lee was still overreacting again. Great, now he'd gotten Gai-sensei into it, too!

"As expected from my rival in the springtime of his youth!" Despite a host of baleful glares the incensed student of Maito Gai would not be so easily silenced. Once they were, there was no chorus of boo's or jeers as Shikamaru had first feared. There was only silence from the village. Utter silence. It was suffocating, being pressed in amongst this many people. As if living in bare and unfurnished tents hadn't been bad enough; there simply wasn't any room for the villagers, let alone the Kumogakure messengers that had just passed through, seeking an audience with the Hokage. But none of that mattered now as he heard their words:

"So they finally made him hokage, huh?" Someone crowed.

"He's really come a long way, hasn't he?" Another added.

"He'll make a fine Rokudaime!" Yet another individual ammended.

"They should've done this from the beginning!"

More shocking than the villager's words, were their faces.

Admiration oozed from the congregation. Respect. Praise. Honor. All these emotions, stemming from those who'd once hated and loathed the boy, but no longer. They'd finally been made to understand just how foolish they'd been. They heaped praises upon praises on the shoulders of their new Hokage, and he wasn't even hear to hear them! It was almost laughable. No, it was laughable. Naruto, the dead last in the academy, prankster, trouble-maker, thief, and all around "dobe" as some had called him, had achieved his lifelong dream and become the Rokudaime Hokage right before their very eyes.

There was just one small problem.

Naruto, in his very first act as Rokudaime, had issued a kill-or-capture order on Uchiha Sasuke; effectively marking the Uchiha as an S-Class Missing Nin in the bingo book. In a surprising turnabout, he'd also bequeathed all of Konoha's knowledge on said Uchiha to the messengers from Kumogakure. Leaving the Leaf's unlikely guests to sift through this information, word was then been dispatched that he, along with a small contingent of bodyguards, would be attending the Summit of the Five Kages. The matter at hand? How to deal with Uchiha Sasuke and the Akatsuki before they struck again.

While most shinobi of the Leaf were in complete agreement with this accord, Haruno Sakura was not. One look at the girl and Shikamaru knew. She still thought that Sasuke could be saved, as did Ino, troublesome woman that she was. Shikamaru held no illusions in that regard. Sasuke had been his comrade once, but now, he was out of control. He'd already dared to attack Kumo. Who was to say that Konoha was far behind?

was to say that he wouldn't strike out at the

"Say, just where did you say those messengers went?"

Everyon exchanged a dumbfounded glance.

"Oh, shit."

* * *

_(Hokage's office)_

He'd done it.

Naruto felt sick to his stomach, but he'd actually done it. He'd taken them to the archives and offered all their information on Akatsuki, and by default, Uchiha Sasuke. It tore at his heartstrings to betray his friend, but as Hokage, the village and its safety came first. He wasn't about to second guess himself now. The deed had been done and to get past it, he'd returned to the task at hand.

Tonight, his last night in Konoha before departing for the Kage Summit, would be spent with Hinata. He'd resolved to take her out on at least one date before their departure, at noon tomorrow. The whole village was already aflame with news of his position. Seeing him together with the new heiress of the Hyuuga Clan would only send the rumors mill spinning even faster.

Which was why he found himself here, conversing with an old friend.

"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Shikamaru shook his head. "You're actually heading off the Gokage Summit tommorrow." He stole a glance for his surroundings. Each of the previous Kage stared down at them in silent affirmation of the fact. Naruto was Hokage now, and the red and white robes of office signified that. Genin no longer, there was fire in his face as he steepled his fingers and peered over the desk at him. At length, he gathered himself and began to speak.

"Do you doubt me, Shikamaru?"

"Of course I do!" The normally reserved tactician threw his arms up in surrender. "Lady Tsunade's in a coma and they made you the Hokage! And you're off to this summit like you're _not_ the Akatsuki's target and its nothing at all! Of course I doubt your-

Naruto looked into his eyes and deep within his eyes was something that made Shikamaru want to gibber like a madman. It was like staring at the night sky after learning for the first time that the stars were not pinpricks in the raiment of heaven, but each its own sun, billions of leagues distant. To stare into the eyes of this creature was to realize how small one truly was, how utterly insignificant you were when compared to him.

Despite himself, Shikamaru struggled to meet his rippling gaze. So this then, was the Rinnegan. It was suffocating. Those were the eyes of Pain, the shinobi who'd laid waste to the Leaf with a single jutsu. They were the eyes of a god made flesh. Naruto held his gaze for a moment longer, drilling him with those piercing pinpricks of azure. Then he lowed his gaze and the life drained out of his eyes.

"I don't like it any more than you do." Naruto replied softly, his features grim, his words dour. "That's why I've called you here, Shikamaru."

"And why would that be?"

"I want you to come with me."

"What?" Shikamaru blinked slowly. "You want me to accompany you...Hokage-sama?" The latter was added almost as an afterthought, and the Nara instantly regretted it. The clone of his commander in chief grinned, an ear splitting grin that stretched from ear to ear. He knew only that it was a clone because a certain Hyuuga wasn't beside him. Of course she wasn't. Those two had been all but inseperable during the last few days. There were even rumors that the Hyuuga clan was petitioning Naruto to wed Hinata. Any attempt to confirm this was politely declined on the Namikaze's part, of course.

"Naruto...if I didn't know better I'd say you're enjoying yourself."

The Rokudaime's grin spoke volumes.

"It'd be appreciated." Naruto smiled. "I need four bodyguards; two for myself, and two for Hinata." The Nara was about to protest when he realized something. Naruto didn't want to leave Hinata behind. He'd seen the two together on the Five Faces before, but even so, to think he'd bring Hinata to the Summit with him! Granted, leaving her back in Konoha presented its own share of dangers, but bringing her with him...absolutely absurd!

_'Man, this is too troublesome..._

Briefly, he considered the notion of refusal. It would be so _troublesome_ to travel to the Land of Iron, not to mention plotting strategies and counter-strategies for whatever the enemy might throw in their way en route to the summit. Not to mention being charged with the life of someone he'd all but grown up with. He locked his gaze with that of this new commander in chief, a denial already forming on his lips.

"Naruto, I...

Then he saw it.

The determination shining behind those rippling orbs of violet and sapphire. As tangible as tears, as palpable as flesh. Naruto was going to the summit. This had already been decided. All that remained was the matter of whether or not Nara Shikamaru would accompany him. Letting his friend go his own away would be akin to throwing him to their greatest enemy. As much as he might wish it otherwise, he really didn't have much choice in the matter. For the sake of Asuma, for the sake of Konoha, hell, for the sake of Naruto, he would just have to do his utmost.

...would be honored to accompany you."

"Really?" said Naruto, suddenly brought up short, as if the idea that his request might be granted had only now crossed his mind. "Great! You have my thanks, Shikamaru." A sheepish smile crossed his face for a moment, giving the Nara a glimpse of the boy beneath the mantle of Kage. "I really appreciate this." With a heavy sigh, he laid his hands upon the desk and levered himself off it with all the grace of a shinobi of his calibre.

"Here." He said offering him a scroll. "This is the route we'll be taking." He frowned. "I think." Shikarmu complied and laid both hands upon the scroll, unfurling it. They _were_ inlaid with the route they'd be taking, a zigzag of line weaving through Fire Country and toward the Land of Iron. He studied it for a moment, plotting out the terraina as well as any obstacles they might encounter. Then he closed the scroll, nodding to himself, almost impartially.

"Wait, so if I'm the first, then who're the other three?"

Naruto shrugged weakly.

"Well, Yamato-taichou doesn't want to let me out of his sight and neither does Kakashi-sensei, so...yeah." He didn't seem all that pleased to have his former sensei escorting him wherever he, but he did not complain about it, Shikamaru noted. He was behaving like a true Kage. Putting the needs of the village before his own. Commendable. Lady Tsunade would be proud, assuming she ever awoke from her coma.

"And the fourth?"

Naruto chuckled sheepishly.

"She...might be a bit late."

He would speak no more on the matter, and Shikamaru was forced to leave it at that. Naruto's clone had plenty of paperwork to attend to and, while he had no idea where to find the original, Shikamaru suspected that he_-and Hinata-_were engaged in something very troublesome...

* * *

_(Meanwhile, in Amegakure)_

Konan didn't like to disturb the dead.

Even moreso when it was her own teammates that she disturbed. Laid to rest in Amegakure, she'd hoped they would be safe here. Before she'd met Naruto, she had naively accepted this. Now, she knew better. Uchiha Madara would come. Sooner, if not later. Of this she had no doubt. And Konan would not be there to greet him. By the time he realized her trickery, she would be long gone.

Just as Nagato and Yahiko would.

_Damn but she kept thinking about that day._...

_(Flashback)_

_"Nagato…do you have to do this?" Konan asked, biting her lip to stop her emotions from jumping out._

_"After everything I've done…this is all I can do to repent for my mistakes." He looked down at his fellow clan member. "This is all I can do…to…give him the power to protect his future, and the world's future. He will give birth to a new era, one of peace. The least I can do right now…is to give him the power and the hope he needs to make…those dreams into reality." He placed his hands in a seal. "Help him back to Konoha when this is over, he will most likely fall into a coma for a couple hours to gather the information within the **Rinnegan** and use that time to look through everything."_

_"What about Madara?" Konan asked, accepting her mission._

_Nagato's eyes narrowed at the name. "He will be looking for my corpse to take my eyes no doubt. Forget about him, protect Naruto. Should Madara know the truth of what has transpired here, he will stop at nothing to take my eyes. "_

_"Understood." Konan asked shortly before closing her eyes as Nagato's chakra spiked for what would prove to be the final time._

_**"Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu!" **_

_(End Flashback)_

With a small sigh, Konan returned to the grisly task of affixing the sealed tag to the dead man's corpse. She stared at the deadened bodies of her former friends, carving Nagato's smile into her mind. If bringing them home to Amgegakure was hard, then leaving now, was so much worse_. I can't leave them like this._ She slammed the lid down on that thought before it could escape; bottling it within and wresting the burning torch from her hand to fling int down upon the funeral pyre.

She watched the flames spread and strangled the dreadful sob before it could push past her lips. She clasped both hands to her breast, heart wrenching as the flames roared high into the sky and spewed smoke -white smoke- into the evening.

Having preserved the defiance of Yahiko and Nagato forever within the heavens, Konan released the hold on her ethereal form and felt herself begin to flutter away as well. Caressing her curves with all the intimacy of a long lost lover, the wind began to blow. Konan tilted her head back, looking on in somber rememberance as the ruins of her home crumbled to the ground in the distance. Flapping in the breeze, her fluttering form freed itself from the Akatsuki cloak; the once odd but nostalgic garment now gone to the past where it belonged as her skin began to peel away, layer by layer.

Before the gorgeous beauty beneath could be revealed, the paper scattered with the breeze.

"May your return to Konohagakure be a welcome one, Naruto."

And with that, Konan drifted away on the breeze and made for the Land of Iron.

* * *

_(Sunagakure)_

Deep in Suna, another Kage was also preparing for his departure.

"You're late, Kankuro!" Temari scolded her brother.

"Assembling my new puppets took longer than expected!" The puppeteer protested. "Give me a break, Temari!"

Gaara listened patiently to the squabbling of his siblings as they approached the gate and paid them no mind. He spared a backwards glance for the shinobi of his village; each and every Jounin, Chunin and Genin, having arrived to send their Kazekage off. Even the civilians had gathered to see the leader of their village safely through their gate. Brief though it might have been, he allowed himself a moment to soak it all in.

Years ago he had been loathed and hated. Reviled and shunned. Hated by the very village he'd been born to save. He'd loved only himself. Fought, only for himself. He'd killed again and again and again to reaffirm his existence. He'd continued to kill, each and every one of them, until he'd encountered one he could not kill. That one, that boy, was a light in his darkness, a beacon of hope that taught him upon his defeat that he too, could have hope.

And now, years later, they had each achieved their dreams. They, once despised by those they'd sworn to protect, now found solace in the respect and admiration of their kin and comrades alike. He clung to this thought as long as he could, and then let it be blown away on the wind of Sunagakure when he could contain it no longer. The world had begun to change. He could feel it, in every fiber of his being. The world was beginning to change, because of that man.

Sabaku no Gaara too a long last look at his village and smiled softly to himself.

"Soon we shall meet again, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

_(Iwagakure)_

"Kurotsuchi! Akatsuchi! We're counting on you two!"

"Lord Tsuchikage! Show the other Kage what you're made off!

It was to these glorifying shouts of his shinobi that the Sandaime Tsuchikage departed Iwagakure. Leaving the safety of his deep valleys and hardened shinobi behind, he, like the others, set out toward the Land of Iron in earnest. Well, perhaps not in earnest. More of a crawl. Such was the pace he set as he and his two guards made haste_-haste being the inoperable word-_for the Kage Summit.

"Having to go summits at my age is quite a chore." Onoki of Both Scales grumbled, rubing his aching back. "Just look at these young ones romping around! And Konoha's new Hokage one of them, no less! They don't even know what its like to have chronic back pain! Not a one of them!"

"Then maybe its time to retire, Gramps." Suggested his granddaughter, Kurotsuchi. "Why drag out the glory?"

"Bah!" Onoki snorted. "I'll not retire just yet! I want to see this new Hokage everyone's been blathering about. Maybe then I'll let you take the reins, Kurotsuchi!" Ignoring the sullen pout of his grandchild, the Tsuchikage pressed onward, relenting to be carried only when Akatsuchi set him onto his back. Laughing at incessant encouragment of those in the village, his focus began to drift toward the Kage Summit.

_"So the son of Minato finally makes himself known to us..._

This summit would certainly be an interesting one, if nothing else.

* * *

_(Kumogakure)_

In the far-off village of Kumogakure, the Raikage was also preparing for his departure. And by preparing, this meant he was impatiently waiting for Team Samui's report on that damned Uchiha before he finally set out. Lounging upon his couch, the musclebound shinobi expressed displeasure upon learning that, although the Hokage had given them full access to their archives, there had still been no word on their arrival.

"Good! Then I shall be off as well!"

Putting that aside, there were more pressing matters to deal with. Such as the matter of the _Hyuuga_ that would be accompanying said Hokage. Word had already reached their ears that the boy had slain Hyuuga Hiashi when the latter recklessly attacked him. Now, as rumors had it, in additional to a larger compliment of guards than normal, a Hyuuga would be accompanying the Hokage for unspecified reasons. An unmarked, untainted, main branch Hyuuga. There would be no seal to negate the power of the rare dojutsu this time; assuming they were able to capture very power of the Byakugan, at their fingertips! As tempting as it might be, A knew he would have to restrain such thoughts until after the Summit. If this Hokage really was the son of Minato, then he must be extrodinarily powerful. Wresting the Hyuuga away from him would not be an easy task, given that he was also a jinchuuriki. Still...the Raikage was confident in his abilities. It could be done. However...

This boy from the Hidden Leaf...did he really have what it took to be Hokage? Was the Byakugan finally within their grasp? Or was this some kind of ploy to lure out their true intentions and declare war on them? Were it not for this; were it not for the fear of rousing the sleeping giant that was Konoha, then Kumogakure would have already invaded and captured the Hyuuga while the chance was ripe. It still was. This was a golden opportunity, not only for Kumo, but for the Raikage himself. His own instincts as a shinobi demanded that he take action; that he take this chance to avenge his brother's death_-he still thinks Bee is dead-_and elevate Kumo's power.

The question remained however...

Would he act on them?

Only time would tell.

* * *

_(Kirigakure)_

"I swear upon my title of Mizukage to carry out my duties with brilliance."

Within the Land of Water, the Mizukage was also readying for immediate departure. With her guards Ao and Chojuro by her side, Mei Terumi accepted the symbol of her status from the elder with honor and pride. This would be her first Summit as the Godaime Mizukage and she was determined to leave lasting impression upon the other Kage. Such, was her way, if not her very nature.

Speaking of impressions...

This new Hokage had left a lastiong one upon her. Apparently the Rokudaime Hokage, Naruto Namikaze, was the _son_ of the Yondaime, Minato Namikaze. Now that was simply wonderful. His father had been a fine man during the Great Shinobi War and a worthy shinobi, before that damned Kushina Uzumaki stole him away! Silently, Mei entertained the possibility; was the son anything like the father? If so...

"Lady Mizukage?"

She did not answer.

Mei's mind began to drift, much like the water for which she was so well known. Veering away from the troublesome matter of Uchiha Sasuke and the Akatsuki, it drifted down a less pious path, edging toward the obscene. Despite herself, she felt her cheeks darken. This boy, if he was anything at all like his father, then he surely possesed that blood line with which she was so enamored. At the very least, he had to have that. Surely.

_"Uzumaki Naruto...I hope he's as handsome as his father."_

Tens of thousands of miles away, as he prepared for his date with Hinata, Namikaze Naruto sneezed.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! This story is officially back on the market! Next chapter we shall see the Arrival at the Summit! Things are starting to heat up amongst the Kages and things will only get better from here on out! Naruto better watch out! He's on Mei's radar! Hinata's not going to take this very kindly now, is she?**

**R&R! =D**


	5. Summit of Heroes Part II

**A/N: AHAHAHAHA! Beyond the Shadows has returned! After many, many MANY months, I have resumed writing this wonderful fic! Epicness abounds in this chapter, as we FINALLY kick off the very begginings of the Kage Summit! Please excuse the fillers but they are neccessary! I'm so glad that all of you still enoy this wonderful fic enough to review it, and I thank you all for the inspiration to continue! Now, after many, many MANY months of nothingness, I give to you, for your viewing entertainment...**

**...THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

_"Keep your friends close; your enemies, closer still."_

_~Uchiha Itachi._

**A Summit of Heroes (Part II)**

Uzumaki Naruto strode through the broken streets of Konoha, but his eyes scarcely saw the damage, his ears barely registered the moans of the injured, or the shouts of mourning and despair and repair. The smoke in the air swirled around him, but his chakra held it at bay. The dirt of the alleys wafted over his boots and rained back down to earth, unable to find enough purchase to stick.

For a time, as ash-stained brick loomed overhead and the occasional sounds of linger construction echoed from afar, his attentions remained focused on the conversation he and Hinata had just held with the village council. Some level of despair was to be expected, given the wound inflicted upon Danzo's pride and the frustrating nonchalance of the one who'd inflicted. Still, he needed to keep a vigilant eye on the old war-hawk, make sure he had sufficient time to recover before he did something foolish.

And they weren't going to have unlimited time, either.

When the village regrouped, when the summit was ended, there would doubltessly be war. One way or another, he planned to exterminate the Akatsuki and the threat they posed to the shinobi world. With or without the help of the other kage. His Rinnegan eyes throbbed in response as though Nagato was giving him his personal blessing from the other side. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the thought; that at how far he'd come in the last few weeks.

At the person holding his hand.

He hazarded a glance back at her, unable to keep the smile from his face. With her, he felt like he could conquer the world. Not that he wanted to mind you. With her, he could face the sendoff and smile, waving for the people that wished them safety for their journey. Part of him couldn't help but balk at the size of the crowd assembled to see them off. Even as they approached the gates the throng did little but thicken; dozens of new faces wanting to be the oneto catch their lord hokage's eye and those of his entourage.

Yamato-taichou and Kakashi-sensei awaited their arrival just beyond the gate, their packs secured, garbed in winter cloaks for travel. Shikamaru stood a few feet past them, shadow stretching beneath the harsh light of the afternoon. Naruto raised a hand, both in greeting towards them and farewell to the village, however temporary it might be.

This was going to be one hell of a summit.

* * *

Hinata shared his opinion.

Just as she shared his disdain for their earlier...meeting.

_Somehow, she kept her face respectful as one of the two elders straightened. Somehow, Hinata repressed the immediate urge to strike down this so-called venerable advisor to the Sandaime as Naruto's hand clenched around and against hers. When she began to speak, Hinata couldn't feel her right hand; such was the pressure her lover exerted upon her fingertips._

_"Hokage-sama!" Koharu gasped. "Surely you can't be thinking such a thing!"_

_Hinata was about to add that she could, in fact, handle herself, when her beloved exhaled harshly._

_"Are you the Hokage, Koharu?"_

_"My Lord?" The wizened advisor paused, taken aback by the sudden inquiry._

_"Are you the Hokage?"_

_"I-I am not, my lord."_

_"And who is the Hokage?" Naruto asked in a deceptively mild voice._

_"You are...my lord." Koharu said, but her words were petulant, sullent._

_"I'm so glad that we understand each other!. Naruto laughed cheerily. "Now, I will depart for the summit and Hinata _will_ accompany me. I leave the matter of my abscences in your capable hands and expect to find all rules and such unchanged upon my return." He turned to go, and Hinata turned with him, pausing only when her blond lover shot a scathing glare over his shoulder._

_"Oh, and one more thing, Koharu and Homura."_

_"Grandma Tsunade may have tolerated the two of you out of respect for the old man, but I will not." Naruto snapped sharply. "You will either do as I say, or so help me, Baa-chan will wake to find two bloody smears on her ceiling!" The feral undertone to his voice assured them that this would indeed be their fate if they did not yield to his demand. In spite of herself, Hinata felt her heart swell with pride for her beloved as he reminded the pair of their place. Naruto might not be the best hokage..._

...but he was _her_ Hokage.

And that was all that mattered in her eyes.

With him, she was in paradise. With her beloved she smiled for the passerby, expressing her joy for the populace. Not a bit of it was feigned. Not even an iota. Whereas once she would have blushed beneath such sheer scrutiny, she now took it in stride.

_"Wait!"_

And then one voice brought that paradise crashing down around her ears. Hinata tuned, half-expecting another well-wisher, but no. She knew this voice, recognized that mop of pink hair. As did Naruto, who didn't even bother to glance back at the speaker. At Haruno Sakura wading through the throng well-wishers, elbowing her way through the crush of people, separating her from the hokage and his bride-to-be. Hinata stole a glance at her beloved, saw the muscle jump in the blonde's jaw as he saw his former teammate. Concern blossomed across her face.

"Should we stop?" She asked softly.

Naruto shook his head.

They were nearly at the gate now, but he refused to break into a run. He was prepared to face this, to face whatever she had to say to him. She could sense Sakura drawing closer with each passing second, closing the distance between them as the pair reached their escort.

"Are the preparations complete?" Naruto asked, turning toward Shikamaru. If the Nara saw or sensed Sakura he made no mention of it. He merely nodded.

"They are, Hokage-sama."

"Naruto!"

There could be no mistaking her voice now.

"Is it true?" She asked, pushing her way to the fore, toward him. "Are you really going to the summit."

Naruto did not honour her with a response.

"Did you really sign the kill order for Sasuke-kun?"

His shoulders slumped.

"Its out of my hands." Naruto sighed, at last granting the pinkette some small measure of his attention. "If we don't send someone after him, Kumo will-

Sakura slapped him.

Rather, she would have, had Hinata, not reached behind his head to snare her fist within a palm. As it were she found herself bound by three Anbu before she could even consider to bring her hand about for a second strike, let alone realize that the first had been blocked. Even had she thought to fight her way free, she also realized her shadow had been bound by Shikamaru. By the time she realized _that,_ the black ops team were already forcing her to her feet to await judgement. She'd been finished before she could even get started, and now she was left to deal with the repercusions of her foolhardy actions.

"Sakura," Naruto began slowly, his voice cold and intense, "You should know better than to strike your hokage."

"How can you do this to Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto took her hand away from his face, eyes glinting coldly.

"How can I?" He asked, his words were like black as pitch; colder than the coldest winter. "How can I not, Sakura! He's working with Akatsuki! I can't stand idly by and ignore his crimes anymore, not as hokage!" Her eyes leaked tears at his proclamation.

"Please...Naruto...don't do this!" She begged. "There has to be another way! There just has to!"

Naruto looked down at his teammate and felt nothing but pity.

"Anbu," He began softly, "Sakura Haruno is hereby placed under house arrest until my return. Should she resist, she is to be stripped of rank until otherwise retold. Should she continue to resist, she will be branded as a traitor and exiled from the village immediately." He let the statement hang, though it pained his heart to do so. As Hokage, he did not have the luxury of abiding by weakness anymore than he did as a genin. Sasuke had joined the Akatsuki. That made him a traitor to the village. No longer could he turn a blind eye to the misdeeds of his former friend.

"Dismissed!" He barked, watching as the fight drained right ouf his former teammate. The life left her eyes, as if his words had taken her very soul with the.

The life drained right out of his former teammate.

* * *

And so they embarked upon the journey of a lifetime.

With steel in their hearts and fire in their eyes, they set forth on their journey to the Land of Iron. Beneath a frigid blue sky, Shikamaru led his new Hokage and his allies. His gaze remained focused, scanning the lands for any sign of trouble. As luck would have it, trouble found them not long after they left the village. Hinata was the first to notice the chakra signatures lying in wait for them. She inclined her head to the east, a silent indication of the threat lurking just beyond their vision. But not hers.

"Already?" Kakashi sighed, reaching for his hitiate.

his pack.

"It would seem so." Yamato placed his hands together. "Shoul we deal with them?"

That comment hung in the air between them.

"Naruto...

The man sigheed; it was a soft, whispery sound.

"I know."

He didn't bother to look up, even as eight masked shinobi descended upon them.

"Do not interfere." Naruto warned, already flipping through the seals. Within a blur of motion, he was gone. It was as if he'd never existed. A faint breeze wafted across the grove clearing, stirring the grasses, rustling at the trees. Seconds later, their attackers plummeted to the ground, their blades no longer raised, their bodies wracked with pain. Rippling eyes flickered across the clearing, peering intently into the thick foliage that the forest offered.

"Seventeen of them, huh?" he mused, even as everyone stepped back.

Naruto held up his hand, fingers splayed.

**_"Shinra Tensei."_**

With a dull _whump_ everything imploded.

The earth, the sky, even the shinobi themselves, everything was simply pushed. Like a pair of giant hands sweeping across the land, the scale of destruction spread bringing a swift oblivion to all those who stood in his way. The earth burst and cratered beneath this unyielding force, wreaking a swathe of destruction that stretched on for less than a mile, leaving nothing behind but devastation.

Stretching in front of him the remains of seventeen charred bodies lay there.

"Shall we move on?" Naruto asked, taking Hinata's hand in his own. The smile she gave him was positively radiant. It took Shikamaru a second to realize the attackers had been aiming for _Hinata,_ not Naruto. The Nara shuddered as he glanced back at the corpses, silently reminding himself to ensure her safety. Hopefully there wouldn't be anymore hiccups like that during their journey...

How utterly wrong he was.

* * *

Less than an hour into the Land of Iron, the snow falling thickly around them, Shikamaru realized they were being followed. Pursued, actually. He slowed, his footfalls giving themselves away as they closed the distance between. Likewise Naruto slowed, and Hinata with him. If the blond was aware of the fast approaching chakra, then he certainly didn't show it. If anything he seemed calm. Unnaturally so.

Kakashi held up a hand to stop Hinata. "Someone's coming. Get ready, they aren't one of ours!" He issued the order quickly and saw the girl quickly fall into a combat ready stance. _She's improved there markedly! _he had a moment to observe it before the figure stepped into the clearing. Sandaled feet crunched across the snow; followed by amber eyes and startling azure hair. _Akatsuki!_ both Kakashi and Shikamaru observed from the red cloud pattern on black robes. It was a woman; the very same one that had been seen with Pain during their brief but brutal destruction of the Hidden Leaf Village. Kakashi held up a hand signaling to the group to stand back and let him handle this. If Akatsuki had already come for Naruto...

_"Wait!"_

Everyone stiffened as the shinobi in question stepped forward.

"Don't attack." Naruto smiled, as if this explained everything. "She's the one I mentioned."

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi responded, still combat-ready.

_"Her?"_ Shikamaru guffawed. "This is your fourth escort?"

Naruto's grin spoke volumes.

"Please, I come in peace." the blue-haired woman smiled in turn, showing her empty hands.

"You'll have to forgive us if we don't trust you right off the bat, Akatsuki." Yamato raised a hand warily.

"I've brought a change of attire, if you'd prefer." Konan announced as she cast her cloak aside, revealing her signature skin-tight outfit beneath. "Is this acceptable?" To their credit, Kakashi and Yamato controlled their reactions well enough. Shikmaru, well, he wasn't quite as fortunate. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"Th-That's not neccessary." The Nara convinced himself that it was the cold that caused him to stutter, not the sigt of the voluptuous woman standing before him. Regardless, he was grateful as Naruto handed the girl a fresh winter cloak, which he'd packed for just the occasion. He also noted Hinata wasn't bristling anymore at the sight of the half-naked woman now that she was covered up. Jealousy, perhaps? He was soon proven the wrong as he watched those pale lavender _narrow_ as he watched the Hyuuga take up residence on Naruto's right arm, and Konan the left; the two woemn allowing themselves to be led onward by the Rokudaime Hokag much to his consternation.

"Naruto...you lucky bastard."

* * *

"We have been waiting for you, Lord Hokage." Naruto glanced up as they arrived at the place of meeting. "You are the last to arrive." A contigent of samurai awaited their arrival, and at their forefront stood a wizened old man, long since past his prime. The sword at his hip suggested otheriwse, however, as did the deft grace with which he descended the stairs. No doubt this man was their leader, th

"The other kage await your arrival within." He gestured to the cave-like opening at his back.

Naruto inclined his head with reverence.

"I am pleased to be here, your grace."

A tiny smile broke out on his chiseled face, like a crack etching along a stone surface.

"You may call me Mifune."

"Mifune-dono, then."

The samurao smiled.

"This way, if you please."

* * *

"Please remove your Kage hats." Mifune began.

Everyone complied.

"In response to Lord Raikage's request, the five kage have assembled here." The samurai continued, his gaze taking each of them in turn. "I am Mifune, your moderator. The Five Kage Summit is now and hereby called into order." Naruto swallowed nervously, doing his best not to let his anxiety show, and failing miserably at it. He was actually here, amongst his fellow kage. Hinata, and the others had been ushered out of sight, ready to leap to his aid should anything happen. Onoki had fussed over the extra security brought by the blond, and it took a terse glare from Mifune to silence him.

Hopefully he wouldn't be needing their protection...

His gaze strayed across those assembled. He recognized Gaara at once, but the others were straners. That massively built guy at the end of the table had to be the Raikage. The crotchety old geezer had already identified himself as Onoki of the twin scales, which left_...wow._ Naruto resisted the urge to gawp_-just barely-_as his eyes fell upon the fifth and final kage. She was beautiful. Auburn hair spilled down a blue dress, doing precious little to conceal alabaster pale skin _or _her cleavage. Only a single seafoam green iris was obscured and as he looked on she fixated upon him. The smallest of smiles pulled at her lips as she blinked at him with a coy wink. He thought he felt a small bit of killer intent from the back room at that. Must be his imagination.

"I shall speak first." said Gaara, abruptly breaking the silence. "Hear me."

Naruto inclined his head, grateful for an excuse to tear his eyes away from the gorgeou Mizukage.

_That's Gaara for you...right to the point._

"There's such a difference in Kage these days." Onoki chortled softly. "To be a kage at your age is quite an accomplishment, Lords Kazekage and Hokage." Naruto and Gaara exchanged a wry glance between them. "It seems that each of your forefathers' trained you extremely well...except in the area of proper etiquette." Naruto, despite all that he had been told to do and not to do, felt his brow twitch at the remark. This Onoki was already beginning to irk him.

_'Pompous old jiji..._

"You're probably right." Gaara conceded remarkably, steepling his hands, expression grim. "It is the reason why I can be here as Kazekage."

"Ha!" Onoki laughed. "You certainly are cocky."

Naruto bit back a growl at that remark.

"Lord Tsuchikage," he began, biting off every word-

...there is no need to make fun of them." The Mizukage finished, startling both of them. "Please continue, Lord Kazekage." Naruto blinked, suddenly flustered as the redhed smiled at him. Was that a wink just now?

"I am a former jinchuuriki." Gaara stated, unflinchingly. "I was captured by the Akatsuki, they took my tailed beast and nearly killed me. So I consider the Akatsuki to be very dangerous. I sought the cooperation of the five kage many times but was ignored. Except by the previous Hokage. And at a time when various lands have had their jinchuuriki stolen, the response by this group has been far too slow!"

More disdain from Onoki.

"How can the Hidden Villages of the Five Great Nations serve as an example when they allow their jinchuuriki to be taken? I say it is an embarassment! It is common sense to resolve this in utmost secrecy. Seeking the help of other lands just because of that is nonsense!"

"Saving face...prestige...such old-fashioned beliefs." Gaara shook his head.

"Old-fashioned beliefes aside... I will acknowledge that, as the Mizukage, I have delayed action." Mei relented in the wake of Gaara's impatience. "But, having our tailed beast stolen is no cause for immediate concern. Controlling a Tailed Beast requires skill, knowledge and time." Her gaze strayed across the room toward Naruto. The blond met her gaze but said nothing; because he just now, he felt the smallest spike of killer intent from behind the curtain.

If the Tsuchikage noticed, then he made no mention of it.

"The jinchuuriki and the tailed beast must mature together, and adapt to each other. And still, controlling the tailed beast is difficult. It is not a simple task. Isn't that so, Lord Kazekage?"

"We have a jinchuuriki among us, do we not?" Gaarra asked, peering at Naruto. "What do _you_ have to say about all this, Lord Hokage?" Naruto closed his eyes and sighed the sigh of one who was used to such matters. When he opened his eyes again, their normal blue tint seemed more like winter ice than summer skies.

_"I say the old jiji is a fucking idiot."_

Behind the curtain, four Leaf Shinobi simultaneously facepalmed.

**A/N: Aaaaand Naruto's already doing the usual, being himself and pissing the kage off. Mwahaha! hope you enjoyed it! This story is officially back on the market! Next chapter we shall see the CONFRONTATION at the Summit! Things are starting to heat up amongst the Kages and things will only get better from here on out! Naruto better watch out! Not only does he have Konan after him but Mei as well...LUCKY BASTARD! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to work! Hopefully I'll be able to read your wonderful reviews when I get back, so sorry they chapy was short!**

**R&R! =D**


	6. Summit of Heroes Part III

**A/N: Here we go! I've been on a slew of updates and postings despite my job, and I've been loving all the wonderful reviews you've left! It's taken me a good long while to get back to this one, I'm trying to finish a handful of my more prominent stories first; thankfully this is on that list. I've been so busy with other updates; its been murder to find time for this one! But now that I can actually sit down and BREATHE for a few minutes, I figured I might as wlel put this chapter out there for all of ya'll to enjoy! Feel free to rearead the earlier chapters in case you're feeling lost! And with that out of the way...**

**...ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

_"Sasuke...our roles could've been reversed."_

_~Uzumaki Naruto."_

**Summit of Heroes (Part III)**

The silence was deafening.

So thick it could be sliced with a kunai, it hung over them, waiting to shredded at the slightest syllable. Each of the kage turned to face Naruto with various expressions of disbelief or bemusement, baffled by his simple and yet pivotal insult of Onoki. All save one. Indeed, it was _Onoki's_ reaction that amused most of all.

"Y-You...

The slow flushing of the Tsuchikage's face was like a slow burning forest fire, spreading across his cheeks with alarming slowness. It looked as though he were a tiny volcano-ready to erupt at any instant. Behind the curtain Hinata, Kakashi, Shikamaru and even Konan facepalmed, unable to contain the sheer _incredulity_ at their kage's comment. Naruto was still Naruto, after all. They shouldn't have expected any less from him! It was almost...no, it _was _enough to make one laugh!

"Is Naruto-dono always like this?" Konan whispered.

"I'm afraid so." Kakashi replied, sweatdropping.

"That idiot!" Shikamaru hissed. "Is he trying to start another war with Iwa?!"

Hinata said absolutely nothing, her Byakugan focused on the proceedings below. And why should she? She was secretly satisfied by Naruto's blunt statement; he'd bluntly taken it to the Tsuchikage and told him he was a complete buffoon. As expected of him! He didn't let his guard slip for an instant, nor did he let his status as a jinchuuriki affect the proceeedings. Although...the Lady Mizukage did seem to be glancing at him a tad too much for her liking. She couldn't possibly...

A slow flush crept to the Hyuuga's face at the thought. Oho, she'd keep that in mind for later. But for now, she returned her attention the summit below, doing her best to put such thoughts from her mind. But still they remained, a niggling that refused to go away, even as the Kazekage reacted to Naruto's not-so-subtle insult.

Onoki jerked upward from his seat with a snarl that would've put a mountain lion to shame.

"Y-You impertinent little-

Naruto sighed at the old man's blustering.

"Shinra Tensei." he muttered beneath

Onoki choked in surprise as an invisible hand seemingly thrust him back into his seat...with enough force to nearly shatter the timbre. Mifune arched an eyebrow, but did not protest at the subtle use of ninjutsu. It was after all, a harmless show of force, and no one had been harmed.

"If Lord Tsuchikage is done behaving like a child," Naruto began, I would like to point out that the only ones who were ever capable of controlling a tailed beast were Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, also the Yondaime Mizukage Yagura and Lord Raikage's younger bother Killer Bee. That's excluding myself of course. However...

Ay's fist twitched on the table.

"Enough...

Behind the curtain the escorts for each kage stiffened, as one.

Temari gulped.

"Kankuro!"

"I know!" her brother snapped, reaching behind his back.

_...of...this!"_

By the time the Raikage's fist had struck down upon the table-leaving an indellible mark upon its surface-the room was flooded with shinobi. Everyone's escort seemed to have been of the same mind; they'd overeacted to the man's outburst, eaching having rushed to defend their Kage from what they saw as an attack.

"This is a place of discussion." Mifune sighed, unphased by the number of shinobi in the room. "Please refrain from disruptive actions."

"Oi oi, guys." Naruto sighed, addressing his friends and lover as they encircled him. "Stand down. I can take care of myself."

The Raikage's eyes widened.

_'So this is the Hokage's wife.'_ If Kumo could somehow secure her Byakugan...

Naruto bit back a growl at the look in those eyes.

"I would thank Lord Raikage to keep away from my wife."

Hinata ruthlessly bit down on her blush. Wife?! She knew they were playing appearances for the sake of extra escorts, but still! Her mind was suddenly flooded with impossible images of Naruto standing at an altar, the brightest of smiles wreathing his face as Neji led her down the aisle towards him, her body wreathed in a white dress-

"Its alright, Hinata." Naruto's voice was a balm to her ragged nerves, soothing her anxious mind. "I'm fine."

"Let us continue our discussion." Mifune decided.

"Hmph." Ay wrenched his wrist from the table, irritated by Naruto's . "The Hidden Leaf, Rock, Sand and Mist...rogue ninja from your villages make up the Akatsuki! And that is not all! From our investigations, we know that among you, includig your previous kage, there are those of you who used the Akatsuki!"

"Used them?!" Gaara bristled.

"I do not trust you!" The Raikage continued, "I had no intentions of even discussing this with you. But the reason I convened this summit is to question your loyalty!"

"What do you mean, "used" the Akatsuki?" Gaara pressed.

"You are the Kazekage, yet you have not been informed?" Ay growled. "Ask your elders back home! You used the Akatsuki in the past war!

"The Great Nations are heading towards uniform stability." Onoki replied. "They are moving from military expansion to military disarmament. As fear and the threat of war diminishes between nations, Hidden Villages, which are the source of its military strength, become costly hindrances. And yet, carelessly downsizing the villages also poses a risk. What if war suddenly breaks out? It would be a problem to depend on ninja who have no experience in war. It would mean certain defeat!"

"And one way to reduce that risk is to use mercenary soldiers. Namely, the Akatsuki?"

"It takes effort and money to train skilled ninja from your own village." Onoki replied. "But the Akatsuki, which makes war its livelihood, is made up of experienced professionals. Furthermore, they can easily be hired for cheap. Best of all, they return exceptional results."

"Get serious, Tsuchikage!" Ay snarled. "The Sand used the Akatsuki to destroy the Hidden Leaf. I'm speaking of Orochimaru! It still isn't clear if he had broken away from the Akatsuki or not. But as a result, your father, the Fourth Kazekage, and the third Hokage Hiruzen, died. And frankly, its hard not to rule out the idea that this was someone's scheme to begin with. But the most suspicious by far is the Hidden Mist! You do not try to conduct diplomacy. There are even rumors that the Akatsuki originated there!"

"Since we have come this far, I will speak honestly." Mei admitted. "There were suspicions that someone was manipulating Yagura, our fourth Mizukage. And there is a possibility that it was the Akatsuki. No one wanted this to get blown out of proportion." Her visible eye drifed shut, concealing her sorrow. Ay wasn't having any of it.

"Each and every one of you...

Onoki frowned.

"Hold your tongue, Raikage! Ultimately it is because your village disregarded the disarmament efforts and sought powerful ninjutsu. We had no choice but to counter by hiring the Akatsuki!"

"What?!"

"Hai hai," Naruto interrupted with a sigh, "Before we start playing the blame game, there is a statement I've been waiting to make."

"What is it?" Ay growled.

"The leader of Akatsuki is...probably Uchiha Madara." He paused to let his words sink in. _Although, according to Konan he's probably..._

"Are you sure of that?" This from Mei.

"Hasn't be been dead for several decades? Gaara seconded.

"He is right." Onoki piped up. "He died long ago."

"I don't know the details." Naruto replied. "But the information is quite reliable." He taped a finger to his eyes.

"Are you saying he's immortal?!" Ay raged.

"Perhaps."

"To think...that he was really a monster."

"Sometimes monsters are the ones who make history." Naruto pointed out.

"It takes time to realize one's ideals. Impatience makes one lost sight of his surroundings and invites failure. That's you right now.

"Nothing will change by working slowly and ethically." Naruto deflected the verbal jab with a wave of his right hand. "Sooner or later the Akatsuki will destroy the ninja world. Are we just going to sit around and wait for that to happen?"

"Well that is just an impossible dream." Onoki snorted. "It maye sound noble, but ultimately, it will only breed distrust, ill will and resentment. Why, I don't even trust your words at this point."

"Whether I am trusted or not its the outcome that is essential."

"Old men, unable to trust the new generation." Gaara shook his head, gaze leveling upon the Tsuchikage. "If that is the world, it that is being human, there is no future."

"What is it you want to say?"

"Understanding and trusting in one another. If we lose then only fear will remain in the world. Acting with no regard for what is right, resigning oneself, I find such things hard to accept these days."

Onoki snorted.

"For a kid who knows nothing about governing a village yet, you speak easily about such difficult matters. Now's your chance to ask anything you'd like. As you're seniors, we're willing to answer any questions you may have. Isn't that right, Lords Hokage, Kazekage?"

Naruto bristled. _How dare you, you old geezer!_

"Then let me ask you this." Unfazed, Gaara steepled his fingers and laid his chin upon them. Naruto caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and realization dawned upon him.

"I'd like to ask the same thing as well."

"Sure, I will answer anything, brats." The Tscuchikage replied smugly.

_"When did you all forsake yourselves?"_

There was a silence as the three remaining kage took in their words.

"What pure-hearted children." Mei smiled, her gaze gravitating toward the Hokage once more. Odd, she though she felt a spike of killer intent directed at her back just now.

"Pardon me," Mifune coughed into a fist. "I want to speak on behalf of the neutral nations. The leader of the Akatsuki was able to read the times well. Despite stabilization, natios had private suspicions and the Akatsuki took advantage of that weakness to amass its power.

"What are you trying to say?!"

"Calm down. Mifune silenced the raging raikage with an errant glance. Turn calamity into good fortune. It is extremely rare for all five kage to assemble in one place. What do you say? Until the Akatsuki is finished, why not establish the world's first Allied Shinobi Forces of the Five Hidden Villages?"

"An allied force?"

"Sounds good to me." Naruto shrugged. "We can wipe them out quickly."

"Then in going forward, we must determine a chain of command," Mifune continued. "We must avoid any further confusion."

"So?" Onoki asked. "Who will we choose to lead the allied forces?"

"Leaving that to you five will only result in arguements. Therefore, I request that each you resect the position of the neutral nations and allow myself to come up with a proposal to decide who amongst you five Kage is most suitable." There was a long silence as his gaze traveled from each kage, before finally resting upon Naruto. "Presently, only Konoha has a jinchuuriki, the Nine-Tails. The key is how to utilize it, wouldn't you agree, Hokage-dono?" At Naruto's nod, he pressed resolutely on. "How about it, then? Since you're village is the only one who still retains a bijuu, and seeing as you have capable control of it, why don't we grant the supreme authority of the Allied Shinobi Forces to the you, the Hokage?"

Naruto's jaw nearly dropped clear off his face!

_"Me?!"_

Whatever else he might've said ended in a sudden tremor.

The earth itself trembled beneath their feet, sending chairs clattering and kage hats tumbling. None of the shinobi themselves were unseated. Confused glances were exchanged as another tremor wracked the floor in a serious of concussive waves. Once more their escorts descended to protect them. This time, neither Kage bothered to dismiss them. Naruto was the first to rise from his chair, having already activated Sage Mode, when the quake began ago. What he saw, what he sensed, nearly caused his blood to freeze in his veins.

_'This chakra is-_

A samurai dashed inside.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Mifune demanded to know.

"My deepest apologies"! He began hurriedly. "But we are under attack!"

"What?!"

Scarce had he spoken that a plant began to bloom in the center of the room. Its petals parted, revealing a solitary figure of bleached white, its lone golden eye filled with madness. It swiveled in place, taking in each of the Kage with a grin that looked like it belonged on a demon, rather than a man.

"Hellooo~!" It cackled.

Everyone lurched backward in surprise.

"Uchiha Sasuke has snuck in!" Zetsu cackled. "Now, where could he be hiding?! Let's all go and look for him!

Whatever else it might said ended when Ay's massive hand closed around its throat and pulled, snapping the monstrosity's neck.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" His words were little more than a growl! "He's mine!"

"So what now Gaara?" Kankuro asked his brother. We cooperated with Konoha's retrieval attempt last time, but if he's descended to joining the Akatsuki...

**WHAM!**

Naruto removed his fist from the table.

"Then we beat some sense into him."

"He's below us!" Onoki growled.

"No, he isn't." Naruto shook his head. Without another word, he glanced upwards. "He's already here."

"Stand back, Hinata. He's mind to handle." This was all she heard before the five flags of the kage fluttered down around them, but even they couldn't hope to obscure her Byakugan.

Hinata's breath caught and she froze.

The eyes burned in the night as she'd heard some jewels do. She took her lower lip between her teeth. He hung over them, sticking to the ceiling like a spider, an arm across his stomach, the other held out, clutching a blade in hand. Dropping down, he seemed to blur into the darkness, alighting efortlessly in the middle of the shinobi.

"It's been awhile, Naruto." he said.

"..."

Naruto gazed upon Uchiha Sasuke and he felt nothing but pity. He saw a sad, wretched shell of his friend standing before him. Sasuke had been different, once. He'd been a shinobi once, one with all that Naruto envied, all that he _hadn't. Sasuke hadn't _sought to consolidate his own power, but to genuinely strengthen himself, day by day, not for the village, but himself, and his friends. Sasuke Uchiha was dead, Naruto could tell just by looking at him, this depraved criminal that he'd promised he'd bring back to Sakura, was no longer the Sasuke they'd known. By any and all means necessary, he had to be stopped, here and now.

Because of his clan.

Always for the clan. Even now, somewhere deep, deep inside, Sasuke believed that by doing this, by denying fate and consolidating his own power, he'd erase this "stain" that the Uchiha has suffered through, that he was suffering through even now. Madara had him so twisted around with truths and half-truths that Sasuke didn't even know what to make of them anymore. Sasuke was furthering an ambition that Naruto was inadvertantly related with; housing the very demon that had brought supiscion and discrimination upon the Uchiha.

Sasuke wanted him for his own **ends**. For vengeance. But that was were Sasuke had made his final mistake. He'd threatened Hinata. He'd threatened Hanabi. He'd chosen the target that Naruto could not ignore. Sasuke had chosen Konoha, every single man, woman, and child, for his vengeance. All for the sake of his clan. All this, because Madara's twisted schemes were destined to be fufilled, doomed to end the world as they knew it, unless Naruto delivered that final judgement Sasuke so dreaded. The final fate that he loathed and abhored more than anything else, was now the Hokage's_-Naruto's-_duty to pass, and that could not be postponed.

"Tell me why, Sasuke." He demanded to know.

_"Why?" _Sasuke blinked, rage forgotten, madness momentarily mediated. Within that single second of sanity, of confusion, of brief and gut-wrenching helplessness, Naruto felt his heart burst. He'd seen all he needed to see. For a moment, _just a moment_ he saw through to Sasuke. Confusion peeled away all those layer upon layer of hatred and fury and laid him bare. There was so little left of him that he could barely be called Sasuke at all anymore.

"Because you, all of you, ruined my clan!"

Naruto stared into the eyes of the last man of the Uchiha; they who'd brought about the end of the Namikaze, of the Uzumaki, and he felt nothing. How...strange. He'd expected a great and roiling fury to come welling out of him; purused immediately thereafter by Kyuubi's chakra. Instead, he felt only a strange numbness settle upon his shoulders. Closure, perhaps? Was _this _how Sasuke felt when he murdered Uchiha Itachi, his own brother? Was this how it would feel when Naruto killed Danzou, and brought about justice?

Somehow, Naruto didn't think it was that simple.

Death, like peace, was inevitable. No amount of power could postpone day of reckoning indefinitely. It could be staved off, true, but ultimately, everything ended. One day, this war would end. If it took his life to bring about that end; the peace this world so desperately desired, then Naruto would gladly give it. But not yet. Not while Sasuke was free to throw his hatred around like a spoiled child. The Hokage had a duty to put an end to such Leaf Shinobi before they could become overwrought.

"Is that it, then?" Naruto asked; forlorn. "Is that really all you have to say, Sasuke?"

"It is." Sasuke said, firm in his restitution. "I've long since closed my eyes to your world, Naruto. My only goals lie in the darkness."

Naruto pulled himself upright.

"Then, as Hokage, I hereby issue an edict." The room swelled with chakra. "Concerning the capture order on Uchiha Sasuke...it is now mandated as a kill on sight." Naruto opened his hands and with a great and terribl tear, he revealed a Rasenshuriken, cradled within his palm. But this was not what stayed Sasuke's hand. Nay, the Uchiha was frozen. He was staring at a strange set of irises. Lidded with orange from Senjutsu chakra, made violet and rimmed from use of the Rinnegan, spearheaded by a touches of bleak crimson, Naruto threw down the gauntlet between them for this, their last battle.

"And as an Uchiha, I choose defiance!" Sasuke yelled, wild fever in his voice. He laughed, low at first, but climbing in pitch and volume until it rang so loud it drowned out a comment from Naruto. "I _choose_ to kill you, Naruto, and all you hold dear!" And then Hinata's skin crawled in horror as Sasuke began to shimmer with purple fire. Chakra rose out of the depths of his heart and surrounded him, birthing a strange creature of bone and body made flesh from his spirit.

Naruto lunged forward to grip the top of the stone wall.

"So be it, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's answer was to burst forth with even greater fevered, ardent laughter-exulting, darkly triumphant-the mirth of a man gone truly mad.

_**"You fool."**_

Naruto simply moved and the Uchiha went sprawling. Sasuke and his face skidded across the floor in a way no man or woman wanted. Naruto leaned against the adjacent wall, puzzled. Sasuke picked himself and tried to stand; tried to reclaim some semblance of balance and reassert his dominance whist Naruto waited.

_Waited._

"Do you really think that'll-

Then he moved abruptly. Sasuke smashed into the wall, greeting it with all the undue haste one would a long lost lover. Naruto popped back into existence only a few feet to the right, his back pushed to the wall; arms folded and weight supported by a foot. He watched Sasuke stand, watched him try to find some semblance of balance. Naruto wasn't even angry. Dissapointed, perhaps? He filled the corners of Sasuke's peripheals with light, resignation etched into the features of his face and weariness elicited by the sagging of the shoulders.

"Sorry, Sasuke." he murmured, placing both hands together. "This is for your own good." When next he parted them, a small black sphere dangled precariously between his palms. Naruto locked gazes with his onetime friend and uttered two words, a single phrase that sounded the doom of the last Uchiha.

_"Chibaku Tensei!"_

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it! After so long a time away from this story I have at long last returned! Hallejluiah!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review...Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview)**

_"You cannot take what has already been given, Uchiha Madara!"_

_Before the words loosed themselves from his lips, Namikaze Naruto raised his head. Before he'd finished speaking, he opened his eyes. Hinata felt her heart hammering into her chest as he raised two fingers and crooked them toward Uchiha Madara; the smile never leaving his lips as he stepped between them. Standing squarely between her and the arrogant Uchiha. She saw his eyes then, as her beloved unveiled those frigid orbs of rimmed violet and violence to the mastermind of this heinous plot._

_Uchiha Madara blinked._

_Blinked, Hinata realized, her Byakugan piercing through that strange and spiraling orange ceramic. Twisted. Hinata's gaze pierced right through him to the face within, his smile drooping, dropping like a stone with the sudden scowl. As this mask within the mask crumbled, what she saw surprised her; this was not an old and wrinkled visage as she'd first suspected; rather it was a hansdome face; only a few years older than their own. She watched it wither with the smile, that twisted and wicked grin morphing into a disbelieving snarl of unmitigated rage,_

_"You dare?" _

_Behind the mask, Madara's expression twisted into unmitigated outrage. Hinata watched that smug smile shatter into a thousand pieces. Hidden behind the orange ceramic, she saw an aged and wizened visage morphing into a mask of hideous hatred; a malignant turmor etched into a face that had once been handsome._

_"You dare?" Madara purred softly; deadly in the sudden silence. "You dare take what does not belong to you?"_

_Naruto smiled._

_"I already told you; you cannot take what has already been given, Uchiha Madaara." Naruto's head tilted to the side slightly. "That isn't even your real name is it? No, I've learned quite a bit from Konan. I think you're really-"_

_"How dare you,** Uzumaki Naruto!" **Madara's composure deserted him with such suddenness that the Gokage themselves flinched away from the ensuing outburst. "Vagabond! Thief! Trespasser! You had no right! You have no right! How dare you take the Rinnegan for yourself! It does not belong to you! Those eyes belong to me! TO ME!" Dismayed and derranged, he continued to rage impotently, and all the while Hinata felt a cold and cruel smile pulling at her lips. Sparing a glance for her beloved_

_Even the Gokage flinched, such was the venemous explosion of vehemence that emerged from beneath the mask. Naruto smiled. Naruto beckoned, crooking four fingers forward in a proverbial gesture known to many and loathed by one and all; come and get me. Abruptly, Madara was upright. Straightening his legs woodenly, not taking enough care. Naruto raised the other hand, his smile slipping to the floor and greeting the rubble with a sudden and bloodied spurt of visceral gore._

_Hinata screamed._

_"Naruto!"_

**R&R! =D **


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